Tale As Old As Time
by imagine.believe
Summary: The town of Lindell was sure the young huntress will never settle down, for who could ever learn to love such an untameable woman? Meanwhile, the cursed prince was to find someone who can break his curse before the last petal falls, but who could ever learn to love a beast? Harvest Moon's rendition of Beauty and The Beast. First of Disney series! Picture belongs to Sakurabe :)
1. Their Beginning

_Hello, this will be a start of yet another story from me! This time, I will try my hands on an adaptation of Disney since I love Disney so much! While the main storyline will follow the Disney version, I will add some twists and tweaks when I see fit! I hope you guys will like it! ^^_

_Disclaimer: I do not own either Harvest Moon or Disney (duh...)_

_In any case, enjoy!_

* * *

He stared at his hands, or what used to be his hands. He clenched his fists, the sharp claws drilling into his skin. Her icy voice echoed in his mind.

_If thou find someone who lovest thou as thou art before this rose shed all its petals, thou shalt be saved. Otherwise, thou shalt remain in this form. Forever._

He glared at the rose, placed in a glass confine. The red petals glowed ethereally, for it was indeed a magical rose. Ever since that day, this rose was his beacon of time. Another petal fell before his eyes—and he could do nothing. As it touched the surface of the table, the glow died and it became very sombre, sad shade of red. Like the colour of darkened blood.

Another piece of hope had been lost.

* * *

An arrow sped through the bushes and pierced into the deer's heart and it fell down to the ground, unmoved. A clean shot. A moment later, a young maiden emerged from the bushes and approached the body, before hauling it to her slender shoulder. Her arms tightened, their firmness spoke of years of hard labour.

She fastened her hunt on the back of her horse before mounting it and rode back to the town, her bow and quiver on her back. As she rode slowly past through the market, she couldn't help but overhear the townspeople whispering to one another—not that it was unusual for her, anyway.

"How brazen! A woman with bow!"

"She is actually quite pretty. Such a waste…"

"She will never marry that way…"

She kept moving as if she heard nothing as she approached the butcher. "Hey," she grinned.

"Oh, good day, Reine!" the butcher greeted. "I see you have another."

"Yeah, can sell some part to you and bring the rest back home."

"Sure! Sure! Bring it over!"

Reine handed the deer over and watched as the butcher expertly skinned it and sliced it into pieces. He put some of the meat into a bag and handed it over to Reine with a bag of money. "How's your mamma and your sister?"

"They're fine—thanks for asking."

"Must be hard, three women living alone." The butcher remarked ruefully, "Really, girl, anything I could do…"

"Well, your buying off my hunt is a great help." Reine replied cheerfully, "You always give me good prices."

The butcher laughed, "My wife'll beat me if I don't help a girl in distress, y'know."

"In any case, I'll go back now. Mamma and Gwen're waiting."

"Tell them I said hi!"

"Yeah, thanks for this!" Reine mounted on Thor, her horse, expertly and she rode back home.

* * *

When she reached the ranch, which also served as her home, she dismounted and led Thor back to the stable, before she walked into the small farmhouse in which she had grown up. Her twin sister, Gwen, was already preparing stew for dinner. "Is venison a good addition?" she asked as she took off the quiver and bow on her back and put it at the side of the room.

"Meat's always welcomed."

Reine put the meat on the counter before she rolled her sleeves and put her hair up into a bun before washing her hand.

"How's Mamma?"

"She's resting," Gwen replied. "I'm gonna go to the town to ship the harvest after this."

"Departing at night?"

"Well, have to reach the town before sunrise. Earliest birds get the best worms, right?"

Reine shuffled on her feet uneasily. "You're right."

"Besides, I can get potions for Mamma at the town."

"You're right." Reine glumly agreed.

* * *

Gwen fitted the carriage onto Thor before she mounted him. "I'll be back as soon as I could."

Reine nodded. "Be careful on the way,"

Gwen smiled. "I will,"

The brunette kicked Thor's stomach lightly and she left. Reine sighed heavily—between them, Gwen was the one with the knowledge of herbs and potions. If not, surely she would be the one going to the town instead of Gwen.

Reine looked up and watched the dark clouds began forming.

She hoped everything would be fine.

* * *

The rain suddenly fell in sheets, and soon Gwen found herself being off-track from the main road. She noticed that Thor was already tired as well, so Gwen decided to dismount and led Thor by its rein. Gwen looked around for shelter and she noticed a tower standing tall at a distance.

"Hopefully the owner will be kind enough…" she muttered as she walked to the direction of the tower. Unfortunately, a lightning struck a nearby tree and it frightened Thor that it immediately ran away before Gwen was able to call him. "Thor! Thor!"

Soon, she couldn't hear the sound of his hooves or the wheels of the carriage anymore.

"Oh, dear…" Gwen sighed in defeat.

Gwen trudged through the forest ground, which had become sticky and muddy because of the rain, and finally she reached the tower, which apparently was actually a part of a grand castle. Gwen stood in wonder for a moment, for she had never heard about any castle in their area.

The brunette braved herself to open the gate, and much to her surprise, it was unlocked. She carefully walked into the castle garden, dark and gloomy, and soon she reached the front door. With trembling hand, she knocked as hard as she could, "Excuse me…"

The door slowly moved open, but there was only darkness in front of her. She took a step forward, looking around in curiosity, "Hello…? Anybody home?"

Suddenly, a candle was lit, then another. Soon, it formed a trail of candles as if showing her the way. Gwen, the more imaginative between the twins, was charmed by this. She smiled and began to walk, following the candle.

She was led into an empty ballroom when another lightning struck and the flash allowed her to see a dark figure standing there. It turned. "Who's there?!"

Its voice resembled a growl with something not human in it. Gwen felt chills running down her spine. That dark figure turned and walked towards her, "I say: who's there?!"

A moment later, the room was suddenly lit by two standing chandeliers and a beastly figure, coated in messy dark golden fur with fangs protruding out from its mouth and claws in place of hands was made visible before her. It wore something like clothes, but it was tattered and unkempt. Its expression was clearly not one of pleasantness and hospitality.

"What are you doing in my castle?!" it growled.

Gwen felt her heart skipped a beat, and before she knew it, she fell onto her knees and screamed at the top of her lungs.

* * *

_Who is this Beast?!_

_What will happen to Gwen?_

_Stay tuned to find out! ^^_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review!_

**_A/N: For those familiar with the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, can you give me some suggestions of who should be Gaston? Can be from any Harvest Moon title ^^ Thanks!_**


	2. Trapped

_Guest: why, thank you for the kind review! I do hope I will be able to meet, if not surpass the expectation! ^^ And yes, I love the song and I thought it would be an apt title for this rendition. As for Thor's name, yeah I must admit it's a slip on my part because Thor comes from Norse mythology._

_TMCP: thanks for the kind words! I seriously considered Owen, but in the end I decided on Zack because of the closer physical resemblace to Gaston._

_To all the readers, I am very sorry if you happen to be a fan of Zack, who is casted as Gaston here. There is no HM character who is as close as a jerk to Gaston is, so I do have to extrapolate on the characterization. My criteria thus fell on physical resemblance, then first impression, and I am limited to largely the HM titles I have played so far. I hope there's no flame because of this ^^"_

* * *

Her first instinct was to run away, of course, but somehow the door from which she came in was shut tight. Gwen tried to pry them open, but it remained still, unmoved. Gwen could hear the footstep sound getting nearer to her—her arms shivering because of the coldness as well as the knowledge of her being locked in with a _beast_.

"Can you talk?!" it growled again, "I asked—"

"I was lost!" Gwen cried out, her eyes shut tight. All the strength in her body seemed to leave her the moment she needed them the most, and she slumped to the floor. "I thought I could seek shelter here!"

"Shelter?" the beast echoed with a hint of curiosity in his voice, "Do you know who am I?"

Only now Gwen remembered the stories that was pervasive in Lindell, about the cursed Beast who resided in a cursed castle, together with his cursed court members. Suddenly she felt foolish for having sought shelter here, not remembering the tale soon enough.

Her fear amplified her silence, and Gwen dared not to turn around. Suddenly, another voice quipped, a chirping, bird-like voice, "She might be the one, Master!"

Then there was the third voice, a gentler, more maternal kind of voice. "Master, you might want to consider what she said."

There was silence for a moment as Gwen desperately prayed for her life—hoping that somehow the Beast didn't eat human, or—even better—was a vegetarian.

"You ask for shelter…?" it asked, a low growl.

"…let me go…" Gwen murmured pleadingly; she would rather brave through the storm rather than spending one more second with this beast. "Please… just let me go…"

"You shall never leave this castle."

* * *

Reine fixed the blanket over Mme Rousseau's body, "Mamma, I'm gonna go to the market for a bit."

The older woman stirred and she opened her eyes, revealing a pair of dimmed green rings around a dark circle at the centre of her eyes. "Where's… your sister?"

"She went to the town to sell the harvest, and buy you potions."

Mme Rousseau nodded weakly. Reine bent down and kissed her mother, "Rest well, Mamma."

Without Gwen being around, Reine couldn't go for hunting. However, her quiver and bow, alongside her hunting dagger, had been an inseparable part of her being that she would always bring them every time she left her home.

Reine had barely reached the foot of the hill leading to her family's ranch when suddenly someone pulled her forcefully. Reine quickly yanked her arm free, "What do you think you're doing?!"

"This is a fine day, Reine, and you should spend it in the tavern with me."

Reine rolled her eyes, "I have much better things to do, no thanks."

The muscular man put crossed his arms and furrowed his brow, "What's better than spending time with Zacharie LaRue?" he asked with a dissatisfied tone.

"One: kicking you out of my sight." Reine said as she gripped her bow, "C'mon, Zack, you don't want me resort to _this_."

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Mademoiselle!"

It was then she heard the whispering again, "Look, look, she's threatening Zack…"

"So unbecoming of a lady…"

"Very rude… very brazen…"

Reine snorted and stomped away, but Zack managed to outpace her and appeared in front of her face again, "What, now?"

"Listen, Reine, I know you have to support Mother—"

"_My_ mother. Don't talk as if she's your mother."

"Well, soon she will be my mother-in-law—"

"Your point being?"

Perceiving Reine's interest in his words, Zack pulled her by her arms to the direction of the tavern, where most of the townspeople would spend their free time. Since Lindell was a rather laid-back countryside town, there would surely quite a number of people in the tavern at any given time. The fact that the tavern was located just near the town square also meant that the tavern was the perfect place to make public announcements.

Zack burst into the tavern, with Reine in tow, and he called out:

"Listen, people of Lindell! Mademoiselle Renaissance Rousseau will soon become Madame LaRue!"

His impromptu announcement was responded by loud cheer, and some cries from women who idolized him.

"What the hell?!" Reine cried out in shock.

"Oh, Reine, this is your lucky day—for you have seen the man of your future!" Zack went on, "Imagine, a day being Zack LaRue's wife—I'll dress you up in pretty dresses and bring you food. There's no more need to haul those heavy harvest to the neighbouring town, no more need to hunt deer or fowls, which mean there's no more need of—" he snatched the bow on Reine's back and jumped to one of the empty tables, drawing all the attention to him. Reine immediately chased him, but he was too fast for her, "—this bow!"

He broke the bow into two, and that exact moment, Reine snapped.

She took out the hunting knife she had been carrying and stabbed it just right next to his feet, causing him to lose his balance in panic and he smashed down to the wooden floor.

"That's enough!" she roared. She took out her knife and snatched the broken pieces of her bow back from him.

"What is wrong with you, woman?!" one of the townspeople shouted, "He just proposed to you! You should be grateful someone wanted to marry the kinds of _you_!"

"You are crazy!"

"Unbelievable!"

Reine ignored all those comments and ran out from the tavern and back to the ranch. She immediately forgot what was the reason of her going out in the first place. Once she reached her home, she dashed to her room, knowing that her mother was still sleeping.

Reine stared at her broken bow. Zack had snapped it right at the middle part, although the elastic string was still intact. Reine looked around her room and decided to take a piece of cloth, wrapped it around the broken part like a bandage and fastened it.

_If we have enough money from the harvest… maybe I could buy a new bow._

Suddenly, there was a noise from the outside. Reine slung her bow back to her back and ran out, and she found Thor; distressed, carriage-less, and more importantly, Gwen-less. "What happened to you?! Where's Gwen?!" Reine cried out, only to remember that horses didn't exactly talk in French.

Reine immediately jumped and mounted the stallion, "Bring me to her!"

* * *

Gwen was led into a room. A spacious, well-furnished, but empty room. Not knowing what she should do, Gwen took a seat on the bed and sighed, _What am I getting into?_

Gwen wrapped her arms around her body, trying to keep warm. A moment later, she felt something was covering her—a coat. Gwen turned around and she saw a wooden coat stand she was sure wasn't there a moment ago. Gwen blinked, and the coat stand slowly bent towards her.

"Welcome to our humble abode, mademoiselle."

Gwen immediately screamed and quickly crawled to the middle of the bed. "Is that what I got for wrapping you in the coat? Oh, well…"

"Y—you… you are talking!"

"Why, yes, of course!"

It was then Gwen realized that this coat stand wasn't just able to talk, but it had a pair of eyes—just like humans—in the colour of steel blue. Suddenly, Gwen felt her head became light.

The coat stand chuckled, "Well, what should I expect about myself? My charms might still be too much, even after all these years…"

* * *

_Reine's dashing to save her sister!_

_What will happen next?_

_Stay tuned to find out!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review! ^^_

**_A/N: Any guesses on the two voices earlier (I know it's a bit vague, but no harm trying) as well as the coat stand? :P_**


	3. Their Exchange

_Hey guys, actually the plan is that this chapter will be the chapter which reveals which character becomes what, but it turns out longer than expected so you have to hold the wait for a biiit more. Well, more time to guess, no? :)_

_ToOH: nope. more of a Hawkeye fan (partly reason why I equip Reine with bow this time round) ^^_

_ScipioPB: thanks for dropping by and reviewing, welcome to my story (ok, not exactly mine since this is a rendition but you get what I mean). I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the ride!_

_Guest: Thanks! Your question is covered on this chapter!_

_Chris: HAHAHA I see! I'm glad to see you again here! I'm smiling when you used the phrase 'reine-like' since it means that Reine's personality has shone through all the stories she is in! ^^ by the way, just to clarify, what do you mean by "quick to call upon people who do wrong"? Is it something like pointing to them where they've gone wrong or I have misinterpreted it? Thanks!_

_TMCP: yeah, Allen has blue eyes. But he is not the only one, since blue eyes are quite a common trait in HM characters. ^^_

* * *

When Gwen opened her eyes, she was already covered in warm blanket with a pot of tea and a cup prepared next to her. A vague image of a coat stand bending down was replayed in her mind.

_Was that a… dream?_

It was then a birdlike voice broke the silence, "Oh, you woke up!"

Gwen's breath hitched and she turned her head sharply at the direction of the voice. Soon, another voice joined in, "Ssssh! Didn't I tell you to stay quiet?"

"You… you can talk, too?"

The teapot turned and Gwen could see a pair of warm brown eyes and a motherly smile on it, "I know it must be shocking for you, dear."

_Shocking is an understatement._ Gwen said inwardly, for she was afraid of hurting their feelings if she had said it out loud.

The earlier coat stand entered the room, "Oh, you've woken up, mademoiselle!"

Gwen nodded gingerly before she watched the teapot moved on its own to fill the cup with some warm tea. The cup then hopped closer to her, "Drink some tea will make you feel better!" it assured her.

Gwen blinked her eyes and sighed long. "Thank you," she finally said, reaching out to take the cup.

"I have to apologize, mademoiselle," the coat stand said, "It seems that I am still a lady killer. Must be due to my length."

Gwen eyed the coat stand carefully. It was slightly taller than her, indeed. "Well… I can see that you're long," she said, "but that's not it…"

The coat stand chuckled. It was obvious that the young woman didn't understand the innuendo. "In any case, please take a sip of the tea."

Gwen nodded and did what it told her to.

Would she spend the rest of her life with animated household items?

* * *

Soon, Reine reached a huge, black gate with overgrown vines spiralling around each spike. Reine stepped down from Thor, "You wait here." She said sternly.

The huntress knew about this area, but never ventured here ever since she started hunting on her own, for most of the time this certain area gave off very eerie, dark aura that no hunter dared to step in. She had even heard that the animals in this area were especially fierce and bloodthirsty—and more resilient to arrows—further increasing the incentive of not going there. However, just now her ride had been smooth, to say the least, although it could be because of her focus on finding Gwen that she couldn't care less of how the scary this part of the forest were.

In any case, she was here now, and much to her surprise she didn't feel that the sight before her was entirely foreign.

Swatting any unnecessary thoughts, Reine touched the gate carefully, trying to avoid the thorns on the spike, and it swung heavily inwards with her lightest touch—Reine was sure she hadn't pushed it. "That's strange…" she murmured under her breath, but she stepped in anyway.

Reine walked into the garden, and looked around; there were overgrown bushes everywhere, but for one small area. Out of curiosity, Reine peeked at it and found red rose bushes, trimmed neatly and bloomed beautifully although this wasn't the season for red roses.

It was as if this rose garden was nourished by magic: _as if there is magic in the first place_, Reine commented cynically, _it is a work of a very dedicated gardener, I'm sure… but why only this space?_

Reine's attention was suddenly caught by the sound from a nearby bush. She quickly reached for her bow and shot an arrow to the moving bush, "Yikes!"

A moment later, a candelabra fell. Reine approached it and was about to take it when it suddenly stood up on its own. As a reflex, Reine reloaded her bow and aimed it at the candelabra, "Wait! Wait! Don't shoot!"

Reine felt her heart skipped a beat. She swore she just heard the candelabra _speaking_. A moment later, she noticed that the candelabra had something resembling a pair of eyes, light blue in colour, in contrast to its golden coating. She could even see something like a mouth below the eyes—as if the candelabra had a _face_.

However, she didn't put her guard—or her bow, for that matter—down. "What are you?" she asked.

The candelabra blinked a few times, and there was a brief moment of silence, before it suddenly declared: "It's another girl!"

"Another?" she questioned, not caring that she was talking to something that was supposed to be insentient. "So there was another girl before me?!"

"Yes!" the candelabra replied excitedly. It took a closer look on Reine and it said, "She looks a lot like you, but she has brown hair."

Reine became alert at that information. "Bring me to her!"

"Sure!" the candelabra replied, "but could you put your bow down? It's a bit… scary."

Reine sighed and let the bow down and put the arrow back into her quiver. The candelabra hopped towards her and pointed at the door of the castle, "This way!" it said cheerfully.

Having a candelabra as a guide had certain benefits, including automatic lighting when entering a pitch black room, just like what Reine was experiencing when she entered the castle. All the curtains were drawn to completely cover the glass windows, and since the curtains were dark in colour, even sunlight couldn't penetrate into the grand castle.

Suddenly, there was a deep growl and Reine heard brusque steps approaching them. She quickly reached for an arrow and drew her bow just as a dark towering figure appeared before them.

"Another human?!" it growled, "What's wrong with these few days?!"

"Where is my sister?!" Reine roared back. "I know she is here!"

"That's none of your business!"

Reine aimed slightly off the beast's shoulder and shot the arrow, purposely missing the beast since she still needed to know where Gwen was being held before quickly reloading, this time aiming at the space between his magenta eyes—the most visible part of his body, "Answer me or the next arrow will pierce your sorry heart!"

The candelabra quickly interfered, "Please don't attack my master!"

"Your master better not harm my sister or I will—"

"Why can't you let her go?! She was the one walking into this place!" the beast interjected impatiently.

"Our mother is sick! And she is the one who knows herbs and potions to take care of her!" Reine retorted. "If you are so desperate in having a hostage for whatever, take me!"

There was a brief moment of silence before the beast snorted, "Fine! Have it your way—fetch that girl!"

The candelabra looked between the pinkette and his master, unsure whether everything would be fine if he left, but he was the only servant around and his master had the temper of gunpowder, so he left. Soon, the clanking sound of the bottom of the candelabra against the hard floor was too faint to be heard.

Even in darkness, Reine didn't put her guard down. In fact, she grew even more vigilant. She rarely hunted in evening, but that didn't mean she couldn't aim properly in darkness, and the beast was aware of it.

"Do you know what you're doing now?" it asked, its voice really sounded like it had had an eternal sore throat to Reine.

"Obviously." Reine retorted.

A moment later, Reine heard the clanking sound again, this time accompanied another sound—footstep. Soon, Reine could see Gwen's face in the dim light of candles and she immediately put her bow down and rushed to her sister, "Gwen!"

"Reine! What are you doing here?!"

"Don't waste my time!" the beast growled before Reine could answer her. It hauled Gwen and stomped to the door and pushed her out before closing the door in front of Gwen. Soon, Gwen's distressed voice was heard together with the banging of the door.

"Reine! Reine!"

"What have you done?!" Reine roared as she tried to force her way through, but the beast swung its arm at her and easily topple the young woman on the floor.

"Learn your place!" it growled back, baring its teeth in front of Reine. Reine didn't flinch, but instead glaring back at the beast. The beast turned to the candelabra, "Take her away!"

* * *

Gwen slumped in front of the castle's great door. Everything happened too quickly for her to process. She walked into a cursed castle, met talking furniture and beast, and then Reine and the next moment she was being thrown out.

"Take the coat with you," a familiar voice said. Gwen turned and found the coat stand. "How did you…"

"Back door, duh," the coat stand replied, "but I would suggest against going back to the castle."

The coat stand turned and noticed the orange sky, "You have to leave quickly, and cover your body in this coat."

"Why?"

"Oh, I'd love to regale you with a tale, mademoiselle, but I am afraid that time is not in our favour." It made a restricted motion towards Thor behind the gate, "There's a horse there. Is it yours?"

Gwen nodded, "That's Thor…"

"Leave, mademoiselle—your sister will be fine."

"But…"

"Before the sun sets, mademoiselle."

Gwen noted the urgency in its voice, and in the end she could do nothing but nodded weakly and walked away, defeated, towards Thor.

* * *

_Reine takes Gwen's place as a hostage while she seems to be unfazed by the Beast!_

_What will happen to the sisters?_

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review! ^^_


	4. One Curse That Binds Them All

_ScipioPB: Yes, this time Gwen acts as Maurice (Belle's father) although I plan something more for her than that! ^^_

_Guest: Actually, from this point this story will take a slightly different turn from the Disney version, so I can't tell you much. As for Zack, I will address that in the next chapter (since this chapter is pretty stuffy already). It's alright to ask me questions, I'll be happy to answer them as long as there is no major spoilers involved. Besides, I'm the kind of writer who have the beginning and the end in mind, but what happens in the middle may develop further as I'm writing, so, yeah can't really give spoilers as well :P so keep on the lookout!_

_Chris Shino: aw, thanks! Your words make me feel that I've done a good job on writing on Reine ^^ By the way, when I saw the phrase "she never buys any of their bull" I immediately think: "Bull's eye!" (with Reine being an archer and all... oh well... :P) and yeah, the coat hanger does meant it that way lol._

* * *

Much to her surprise, she was led into a room instead of the dungeon, and she still got to keep her bow and arrows. "I know this sounds weird…" the candelabra trailed off, his voice obviously trying to stay cheerful, "but make yourself at home."

"Uh-huh."

The candelabra then hopped away and Reine closed the door behind her before turning around to inspect the room. The size was comparable to, if not bigger than, the living room of her farmhouse with one queen-sized four-poster bed covered in dark purple blanket with the same-coloured drapes and canopy. There was a dresser and a dressing table as well—clearly a room designed for a female occupant, although the empty surface of the empty table told her that it hadn't been occupied for quite some time. Reine noticed the half-emptied cup and could feel a hint of warmth when she touched the glass surface—Gwen was being held here.

"Oh, hello!" the cup said. "You're not the lady from earlier, aren't you?"

"Talking candelabra, talking cup… can the floor talk too?" Reine asked while tapping her feet lightly on the floor, half-expecting something like a yelp of pain.

"No, my dear,"

Reine turned her head and noticed the teapot and sighed heavily. "Okay." She sat down on the edge of the bed—she didn't even care what other furniture could talk; this had been a very weird day for her with Zack and a talking beast and talking furniture.

"You look exhausted, my dear," the teapot said sympathetically, "I think you might need to sit down."

The pinkette nodded weakly and sat at the edge of the bed. "Thank you," she said, "I… I don't know what I'm getting into."

"Go on," the teapot encouraged.

"Why didn't I just shoot at him and snatch Gwen away? Well… I have promised to be his hostage in exchange of Gwen—but in this world… people rarely keep their words any longer. Why… why did I…?"

"At least you still do, my dear, and it is very admirable. Not to mention your courage and love for your sister."

"Yes! You're very cool!" the cup chirped in.

_Love. That again._ Reine noted in her hardened heart as she threw herself back on the bed. "What is this place? Why can you guys talk?—no offense—but what is going on?!"

"Have you ever heard of the tale of… Witch's Curse? Is that what the people said it is?"

"About the cold prince and the witch and blah blah blah—I think I heard that somewhere in the market. Yes."

"You don't seem to believe in it."

"Well, I _do _believe people would want explanations on what is going on in this world—just like what I'm asking of you now—and when they can't explain it based on their current knowledge, they _try_ to come up with something. Tales… magic… witchcraft… anything that can explain the inscrutable!"

The teapot smiled warmly, "Some of those stories might be the truth, my dear," it said, "and this… is one of them."

* * *

Gwen managed to reach a more familiar part of the forest just as the sun set by urging Thor to gallop their way through. Noticing that Thor was exhausted, Gwen decided to stop for a moment there. She put her hands into the coat pocket to keep it warm, but when she did so, she felt there was something inside. Gwen pulled it out to find out that it was a ring with a single stud of clear sapphire mounted on it.

"Oh, no…" Gwen sighed as she turned around, looking at the now distant castle tower.

It was then a piece of paper fell down and Gwen picked it up. It said:

_Dear mademoiselle with lustrous ebony hair,_

_Do not worry: this ring is meant for you, and only you. It carries certain magic in it—worthy of someone like you. Trust me._

_If you really want to give it back, though, I am afraid you must wait until the next time we meet. I am sure there will be another time, but I wish you would not wish to return it._

_One born of wreath of roses._

"Magic?" Gwen thought aloud as she brought the ring up under the moonlight. "What magic, I wonder…"

She chuckled and decided to slip it on her ring finger—and much to her delight, it was a perfect fit. Gwen mounted Thor again, this time taking the journey slow while thinking excitedly of what kind of magic the ring carried with it.

* * *

Their conversation was cut short by the sound of door knocking. Reine rose and opened the door and found a serving trolley; she wasn't very surprised when she didn't find no one—or no human to be precise—behind the trolley. There was, however, a clock.

Reine moved aside and the clock spoke, "Your dinner, mademoiselle."

She glanced at the dishes on the trolley: hors d'oeuvre, main course of steak with three side dishes (sautéed broccoli and carrots, mashed potatoes, and pasta salad), a _fromage _and chocolate pudding as dessert, and there was a bottle of red wine inside of a bucket of ice and empty wine glass together with silver utensils.

"Isn't this… too much for one person?" Reine asked, "Besides… how do you get the ingredients?"

The clock pushed the trolley next to the bed and bowed slightly, "Enjoy your meal, mademoiselle."

"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Reine protested.

The clock simply casted her cold, condescending glare and left the room. "What the—who is he?!"

"That's our butler," the teapot replied sympathetically. "He might seem a bit… uptight."

"That's not uptight! That's downright rude!"

Before Reine could finish her ranting, the door was knocked again, but this time who—or whatever it was let itself in. The mahogany coat stand bowed before Reine, "Pleased to be in your service, mademoiselle."

Reine turned around and put her hands on her hips, "Aaaand, what exactly is your service?"

"Fixing your attire, of course," the coat stand replied, "you must dress properly before eating such a meal, right? Unless you want me to do more~"

Reine raised her eyebrow. Giving her upbringing—and her nature, one might say—Reine had never given much thought about attire while dining, or her dresses in general. Her only parameter for choosing her attire was whether it would be a hindrance for her while she was hunting or ploughing the field.

The coat stand was not really the one to take 'no' for an answer. It moved towards the girl and grabbed her, taking off her dress. "Hey! Who said you can just do whatever you like!" Reine snapped, kicking the coat stand away.

"Whoa! Whoa! Easy, mademoiselle!" the coat stand exclaimed. It hooked her dress as it stumbled backward and Reine tried to grab it back, for she wear nothing but a thin undergarment under her dark brown knee-length dress. The tension tore the old dress apart and the cup shrieked. "Geez, it wouldn't have ended like this if you just keep quiet and be obedient." The coat stand complained, although there was no malice in its words.

"You were the one starting it!" Reine complained.

The door was opened again, this time the candelabra. When the candelabra saw the lady only in her camisole with a torn dress, the three candles on it suddenly turned brighter and it shut its eyes tight, "I'm sorry! I—I must have picked a wrong time!"

The teapot sighed, "My dear, why don't you take a quick shower?" it suggested, "We will clean this up."

Reine sighed heavily and nodded. She didn't take long to shower, and when she stepped out, only wrapped in her towel, she found that a clean undergarment—one more elaborate that what she had worn earlier—had been laid out on the bed while the coat stand was still rummaging the dresser in front of the bathroom.

"Please don't touch where you're not supposed to…" a new, quiet but shivering voice was heard.

Reine crossed her arms, "Why do I feel like I'm watching something… criminal?" she thought aloud, although the coat stand was too focused on what it was doing to hear her comment.

"Hmmm… red? Well, that's my taste but I don't think it works for evenings—no, no, no. Soft yellow? That's not appetizing… let's see… Aha!" It pulled out a teal-coloured loose dress, resembling the one in paintings on Artemis the Greek goddess, when at the same time finally noticing Reine's presence. "Wow, you're fast."

Reine shrugged and she took the undergarment. "So… I'm supposed to wear this…?"

"Yes!" the coat stand replied excitedly while shoving the dress, "and this!"

Reine nodded unenthusiastically and headed back to the bathroom bringing the clothes with her and she emerged a few minutes later, fully dressed although her loosened hair was still rather damp, hanging down to her waist. The dress—which to Reine seemed to only consist of one large piece of fabric—hung loosely on her body, pivoting on her left shoulder with a golden clasp and it reached the floor.

The coat stand nodded appreciatively, "Soft pink and teal go well together." It murmured. "And for the final touch…" it walked towards Reine and buckled a golden waistband around her, slightly accentuating her curves beneath the loose dress. The coat stand took a few steps back and studied her, before nodding appreciatively.

Reine shrugged—at least the dress was comfortable for her—and finally got to eat her dinner. The feast prepared for her reminded her of her mother and sister, _What do they have for dinner today? I've salted the venison—it will last them for quite a few days._

"What's wrong, mademoiselle?"

Reine blinked her eyes and noticed the candelabra staring at her with a worried look. "Nah, just thinking about home," she replied, trying not to sound too melancholic about it. She looked at the candelabra for a few moments, and then she realized something. "What's your name?"

"Name?"

"Yeah, what should I call you?"

"Um… you can call me Candelabra… I guess?"

"What?" Reine asked in surprise. "Are you for real?"

"Well, that's what everybody called me these past few… I dunno."

"So, if I see another moving candelabra I should just call in Candelabra the Second, Candelabra the Third…"

"Hey! That's not true!" it interjected quickly, sounding a bit annoyed. "I'm the coolest candelabra around here!"

"Brightest, you mean." Reine said.

The candelabra stared at its arms and grinned, "Yeah, that works, too!"

"Seriously, I can't just call you candelabra! You must've had a name!"

The candelabra scratched its head, "I guess so… but ever since the curse… we don't really remember our names. We just call each other for what we are—except for the Master, of course."

Reine felt rather sad at that easy-going remark. As she thought about it further, an idea sparked in Reine's mind. "Take me to the archive."

* * *

The archive, unsurprisingly, was dark and dusty, with the candelabra as the only source of light. "Hello? Anybody here?" Reine called out. She could hear a faint echo of her voice for a moment, and then a cough. Reine rushed to that voice, and she found a thick book with a dark blue cover. She touched it gently, "Excuse me?"

Yesterday, she would think that someone trying to talk to a book was crazy, but this idea didn't seem too crazy to her now.

Much to her delight, the book responded. A pair of dark brown eyes appeared. "Oh, hello… not many people visit this area… and oh—a human! Does this mean…" it looked around, only to look sad afterwards, "No…"

"Um… hello? I'm Reine."

"I'm the Book, as you can see." It replied.

"It won't be for long!" Reine assured her, "Do you have something like… a list of people in the castle? Or anything containing their name?"

"…you can check the shelf, I guess."

Reine took the suggestion as permission and began to peruse the tall shelf in front of her. She noticed that many of the covers were inscribed with the name _Mary_ and she turned to the book, trying her luck, "…Mary?"

The blue book lightened up, "Why! That name sounds _very_ familiar…"

"I bet it's because that's your name." Reine smiled.

A slight smile graced the cover of the dark blue book, and it looked a little bit brighter. "Yes, I believe so…" it replied shyly.

Reine continued her search of something that would give her the names of the castle's occupants. List of waiters and maids, guest list, whatever. There was a huge collection of such lists, updated yearly, and the record dated back for around one hundred years that Reine was trying to see the most recent one, while Mary and the candelabra were staring at her, unsure what to do themselves.

"Actually…" Mary said, breaking the silence, "I can give you an account."

Reine turned around, "What do you mean?"

"I remember… I was holding a book and a quill on that day. I was writing… what happened around me—it was a habit."

"Ah, yes!" the candelabra joined in, "I remember I was holding onto a candelabra that time! Then suddenly _I'm _the candelabra!"

_Okay, that sets one possible pattern of the curse thing, I guess._ Reine thought to herself. "Where's this entry?"

The blue book opened itself while Reine stepping down from the ladder and walked towards it. Reine took Mary in her hands and began reading with the candelabra jumping onto the table to give her some light, "It was a modest dinner, for the Prince was not fond of large crowds…" she began, and then she skimmed through the lines until she found, "Rod was holding a candelabra to be put on the table—are you Rod?"

The candelabra paused for a moment, "Um… yeah, it lights up." He said, "Like… something was lighting up inside of me when I heard that name."

Reine chuckled, "Good imagery there." She said, "Okay, Mary, we're going to work out the names of the people in this castle together!" the pinkette could feel a slight up and down movement in her hands.

The next stop was her room, where the teapot, the cup, the dresser, and the coat stand were waiting for her rather anxiously since she just suddenly jumped and declared she wanted to see the archive earlier. Mary had filled her pages—by thinking of everything that she could remember, and she did remember a lot of things—during their journey and now there were a lot of names sprawled in her pages.

Reine stood in front of the dresser. "Tell me to stop when you feel something is… right as your name: Sunny, Babette, Ophelia, Candace—"

"Oh…" the dresser interjected softly. "Candace…" she said.

Reine said, "That's a beautiful name."

Next, Reine quickly worked out that the teapot was the head of maid who was bringing the teapot meant for the Prince, Jessica while the cup was her daughter, Cheryl, who was helping her mother by bringing the cup.

"Thank you, dear," Jessica said gratefully. "Thank you so much…"

"Thank you, lady!" Cheryl chirped.

"No problem!" Reine replied cheerfully before she faced the coat stand. "Now, you… hmm… let's see…"

Reine flipped through the pages and finally she saw a mention of a coat stand. "It was the Prince's distant relative… from a small principality bordering this country, emerging from the noble line of Rosenkrantz—wreath of roses…"

"…Ellen—no… Allen?"

Reine glanced at the coat stand and it gave her a cheeky grin, before it bowed graciously, "In your service, mademoiselle."

"You're… a guy?" Reine asked in disbelief.

"Why, yes, can't you feel it oozing out of me—my masculinity? I'm hurt."

Reine recalled the scene earlier, when she faced him only clad in her towel.

"Just now… you…"

Allen grinned, "Of course, live show. Full preview." He said, "I must say, you have a nice bust."

Her face turned bright red and she clenched her fists.

* * *

Rod tried to put Allen's chipped leg back using the wax dripping out from his candle, "You shouldn't have told the mademoiselle that, m'lord."

He looked down, "Careful, Rod, your fire."

"Just burn him!" Reine yelled from her room, "Turn him into firewood!"

Hearing her comment, Allen laughed. "Why, isn't she lively?" he said, "She's so fun to tease."

* * *

_What magic resides in the ring that Gwen holds?_

_Stay tuned for the next update!_

_Thanks for reading, guys! Please rate and review! ^^_

**_A/N: okay, so I decided that Allen shouldn't be a servant, but an unlucky guest who ended up being placed under the curse as well. Besides, I always think Allen has that princely bearing with him :P As for the letter, Rosenkrantz means wreath of roses (it is a real-life line of Norwegian and Danish nobility (although it's mostly extinct now)). So, in this story, there are TWO cursed princes with TWO "Belle"s._**

**_About our Belles, as you can see, while Reine seems to be very down-to-earth, bordering to cynical and very rational by trying to come up with logical explanation behind anything, Gwen is more willing to believe in magic, divine power, and fantasy, while Belle in Disney is somewhere in between (clever and dreamy at the same time)._**

**_Disney stated that the Beast's transformation is not only meant to be physical but also psychological, so I play around with this statement through how the furniture slowly forget their human memories, including their names. More about the curse is going to be explored in later chapters ^^_**

**_I casted Rod as Lumiere because Rod always has this bright personality, which I translated into the candles, although he lacks the suave qualities that Lumiere has (my other candidate for Lumiere was actually Allen, but after I saw a coat hanger cutting Beast's hair during one of the scenes, I thought Allen would be a better coat hanger than candelabra :P)_**

**__****__****_I hope you enjoy how things are going up to this point ^^_**

**_In any case, any guess on the clock a.k.a. Cogsworth? :)_**

**_(I hope I don't bore you out with the explanation)_**


	5. What's In A Name

When Guinevere Rousseau reached her quaint little home, just a few hours before sunrise, she decided to go to her mother's room. As expected, the older woman was fast sleeping. Quietly, Gwen walked to her bedside and sat there and dipped herself in her thoughts.

_What should I tell Mom about Reine? A hunting trip?_

Reine did usually go on hunting trips during these times, before the snow fell, so that they could cure some meat for winter supply. But she would always come back on the last day of fall—and that day would come in two weeks time.

_Will Reine be able to get out of there before then?_

"Pssst! Pssst!"

Gwen turned around and saw something reddish and sparkling on the floor. The brunette rose from her seat and tiptoed out from her mother's room. When she had a closer look on the sparkling being, she saw a tiny human, dressed like Santa Claus, with green hair and unbelievably large eyes compared to his face. "Hey, I'm Aaron!" he said.

Gwen blinked her eyes in disbelief. "There is someone who wishes to meet you!"

"O… okay."

"Close your eyes! We're going to get there in a blink!"

Gwen closed her eyes, and true enough, when she opened them again they were already transported into a small pond that she had never seen before, The pond was surrounded by flowers of all seasons—as if seasons didn't govern this place.

"Dum-Da-Da-DAA!"

Gwen took a small step back in surprise as suddenly a green-haired woman appeared in front of her. Her hair was unbelievably long, arranged in a combination of bun and braid at the same time but it still reached her feet, anyway. She wore an earring on her left ear resembling an arrangement of seeds coloured in golden, and there was a certain light aura about her.

"You must be Gwen!"

"Um… yes." Gwen replied hesitantly, "but… who are you?"

"Well, I am known by many names—people even mistake me for my sisters! You can just call me Harvest Goddess, though, since I _am_ the Goddess of Harvest." The goddess replied, still in her light-hearted mood. "But, before my sister rebukes me, your small lovely town isn't my jurisdiction. It's under my elder sister's."

"Okaay…"

"You must be wondering why I called you, right?" the goddess asked understandingly, "Well, this is for introduction, as well as to tell you that you don't need to worry about your sister. The Beast can be scary, but he is no evil."

"But…"

"My sister will take care of yours, Gwen, trust me." She assured, "Likewise, I will take care of you and your mother."

"What should I tell my mother, though?"

"A little magic will ease her worry, don't worry about that!" The Harvest Goddess smiled, "and I would suggest that you don't take off that ring."

Gwen held her hand up and saw the sapphire ring. "This?"

"Yes! That ring is a family heirloom of the Rosenkrantz family—and I have been their patroness since the beginning of that line." She explained, "in fact, I can contact you now because you are wearing the ring!"

"Is this… the magic that the note said?"

The Goddess chuckled, "No. He meant something else." She told her, "but, yes, consider this as part of the magic."

Gwen nodded hesitantly. Her life these days had been nothing ordinary, anyway.

"In any case, I'll keep in touch with you through Aaron when I need to. For now, go back, have a good rest, and go about your day as usual. _As usual_, you hear me? That's very important!"

Gwen quickly nodded. The Goddess could pass as a nagging mother, but she quickly returned to her more cheerful demeanour. "Okay, nice to see you, Gwen! Toodles!"

Everything went by like a flash, and in another blink of an eye, Gwen was back in her room, alone. No pond, no Aaron, no Goddess.

Of course, no Reine as well.

* * *

Reine was quickly immersed in her mission to find the names of all the castle's cursed occupants. Of course, what she had done didn't miss Beast's sharp ears—sharpened after years of living in a chimeric, feral condition.

He passed her on the hallway. She wore a loose, one-shoulder teal dress with a golden-coloured belt hung rather loosely around her waist. Her soft pink hair was held together with a teal ribbon into a ponytail. Even indoor, she still carried her quiver and bow on her back, but now her nose was stuck on the blue tome, which carried almost all information on this castle. His steps revealed his presence to the huntress, though, and she simply looked up and met his deep wine-coloured eyes. "Oh, hey."

The Beast was struck by her easiness around him; he couldn't feel even an ounce of fear in her voice, or her face, or anything about her. She stared at him as if he was another human being—nothing unusual.

"Hey," her voice snapped him back to the reality again, "Do you happen to remember you name? The book simply refers to you as the Prince—not helping at all."

"Huh?"

"Your name." She repeated, this time with a sense of impatience in her voice. "What should I call you? Do you want me to call you the Prince? But I'm honestly curious about your name."

"Don't you know?" he asked her back, "I'm The Beast—isn't that what you people call me?"

Reine clasped the tome in her hand, and it closed with a heavy sound, before carrying it on her side as she glared at him with her free hand resting easily on her hip (not helping him in not noticing the curves of her body, if he could be honest). "Listen, are you telling me that your name is Beast? That your parents have named you 'Beast', B-E-A-S-T?" she asked sharply, "I'm sure even if you cried at the top of your lungs and it shattered the walls between which you were born and you clawed the midwife until her skin bled your parents still wouldn't name you as such. Even if your mother or your father had thought about it, I'm sure the other would've disagreed. Well, personally, I would _never_ name my son Beast. I don't know whether things are different among nobilities, though."

A slight annoyance and irritation rose inside him. When was the last time someone dared to talk back to him in such a manner? When was the last time he could see someone's eyes so clearly before his own and they weren't trembling in fear?

"Why do you care so much?!" he roared, "What's in a name?! The rose would still stay as a rose!"

Reine rolled her eyes, obviously not deterred by his mini outburst. "A human is not a rose. Yeah, yeah, the rose will still smell as sweet even if its name is not 'rose', but things are slightly different with humans, you see? We call all pink rose 'pink rose', but we don't call all white people 'whites', right?"

Now, she piqued his interest. Considering her gender and social background, she was surely knowledgeable—and she obviously knew how to talk back.

"You want to know what lies inside a human's name?" she asked in a slightly gentler voice. "It's your parents' hope and dreams for you."

_Hope… and dreams?_ The Beast found himself asking.

"I don't care what's your attitude towards your own name—I'm doing this for my own. I want to respect that hope and dreams they have for you."

Having said her piece, Reine shrugged and continued walking down the hall, leaving the Beast behind; stunned, but not exactly displeased by her brave display of audacity.

* * *

_Reine's bold display of her frankness towards the Beast at full throttle!_

_Will this make them or break them?_

_Stay tuned for the next chapter! ^^_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review!_


	6. Intertwining

_teamBLAZE: thanks, I hope you enjoy this story so far! and yes, Katniss Everdeen is a major inspiration of Reine in this story. I hope this will give new flavour to the classic tale of Beauty and The Beast! ^^_

* * *

The Harvest Goddess was true to her words, at least up until now. Mme Rousseau never asked for Reine's whereabouts, which worried Gwen initially lest it was because their mother simply didn't want to know the truth, but she realized that all she could do now was to play the part and led her daily routine normally.

If Renaissance Rousseau were almost never seen outdoors without her bow and arrows, Guinevere Rousseau's equivalent would be a book. Even when walking in marketplace, Gwen's eyes would always be fixated on the scribbled pages of books—sometimes tales, other times books regarding herbs.

Being a small town which was nourished by gossips, of course this didn't pass their watchful eyes. When Gwen walked to the marketplace—which could always be translated as Reine having one of her long hunting trips, or simply a visit to the local library—people would often stare at her then whisper among themselves.

"There goes the second daughter of Rousseau family…"

"Oh, what a real beauty—her looks are only paralleled by her sister."

"Yes… very beautiful. Very fair, very delicate—unlike her sister."

"But I'm afraid she's also rather odd—always a bit distracted, don't you think?"

"Poor Rousseau family… their daughters are blessed but cursed at the same time!"

Unlike Reine, who had the ability to focus on just one thing at a time while blocking out everything else in her vision field but her prey—a skill she had to master to further hone her hunting skills—Gwen could hear everything that they said while still registering the train of words before her eyes—all the while walking without bumping into anyone.

So, yes, she knew what they said about them.

And it hurt her.

For a moment Gwen looked up and all the townsfolk abruptly turned around, trying to act that they weren't looking at her in vain. Gwen stared at the far distance, to the direction of the cursed castle.

_I know there's something more than this provincial life._

Gwen sighed and she continued walking, and reading, of course.

"Oh, hello there, little woman."

Gwen immediately registered that voice and groaned internally, while outwardly, she still maintained her 'on the book' look and kept walking.

Zack wasn't used to be ignored, though, and he immediately stalked up to the girl and pushed her book down, forcing her green eyes to meet his dark brown. "Bon jour, Guinevere," he greeted her again, this time with a more melodious voice that sent Gwen's stomach to tighten in unpleasant knots.

Gwen plastered a smile on her face, "Bon jour, Monsieur."

"Oh, don't need to be so formal!" Zack immediately dismissed her, "You see, I proposed to your sister yesterday—she was too shy to say yes—maybe I should bring her to somewhere more private, but, you see…"

"I wouldn't use the word 'Reine' and 'shy' in the same sentence unless it's negative." Gwen replied before going back to her book, only to be interrupted again by Zack.

"Oh, are you jealous, Guinevere?" Zack flashed one of his smiles that would probably swoon majority of the town girls while smoothing his hair. "Even after I'm married to Reine, I would still shower you with my affection—you'll be my sister after all, Gwen."

"Uh… well…" Gwen tried to contain her nausea, "I'd be… grateful, Zack, but, no thanks." she swiftly ducked under his arm and walked pass him.

Zack tried to catch Gwen, but the crowd in the market made it impossible for him to do so. Soon, the young lady in peach-coloured, knee-length dress was unreachable within the crowd.

"I told you so." A lanky man appeared beside Zack, "She won't help you to get her sister—she's too dazed and distracted with her… _books_." he was promptly hit on his head by the muscular man.

"Shut up, Won." He said, "I'll win Reine—I'll tame her—and she will be my wife! You hear me?"

* * *

The Beast sat in his dark room, only accompanied by the enchanted rose which, despite being contained in a glass lid, still emanating its ethereal glow, demanding attention to itself—as if it wanted to constantly remind the forgotten prince that he was sustained with a borrowed time.

"Why…?" he groaned, "Why…?! Two humans… within one day… what's going on?!"

Much to his surprise, a faint figure made an appearance before his eyes. He could only see a shade of something between blue and green—even his sharpened eyes couldn't make out the figure—but he knew whom it was. Her soothing voice soon filled his ears.

_There is no coincidence nor there is an accident. There are only strings of events, arranged by the Fate, for you to keep learning and be a better person._

The Beast roared in frustration, and the apparition vanished as quickly as it had appeared earlier. He knew it wasn't a conjuration of his mind—he had learned that it was _real_. However, he still needed to learn to have faith—although faith could be something more like a luxury for someone in his position.

Could he afford to have faith now? _Now_?

Frustrated, the Beast decided to go out from the West Wing to find some fresh air. The last time he had some sort of conversation with the newest addition to his castle, she had left him with more questions than answers—and a little bit of curiosity, for a lack of better word.

Truthfully, in a tiny part of what remained in his human heart, he wished he could bump into her again.

And as if Fortune was on his side, he saw the young woman walking through the hallway again, still with her bow and arrows fastened on her body. She even wore her hunting gloves together with her dress—it didn't really match but she didn't seem to be bothered by it at all. This time, she was reading a different book.

Her head suddenly perked up and she offered a polite smile, "Hello."

That again. She carried herself so—if not graceful—easily around him.

"I found a registry of birth of the family that owned this castle in the library," she began speaking. "Maybe we can find your name here… hmm… Gray? Vaughn?—no, I think I should look for more recent births—do you remember when you were born?"

"No."

"That's sad—let's see… the most recent birth recorded is… twenty four years ago…" she trailed off. "Neil…?"

His fox-like ears perked up at the mention of that name. Something in his head seemed to click at it—it sounded right, and it created new warmth in his frozen heart. Obviously, the huntress' sharp eyes didn't miss that reaction. Her face beamed into a warm smile, "9 December, huh?" she murmured.

"What?"

"What do you want me to call you, then?" Reine asked. "Prince? Neil? Your Highness? Beast is out of question, though," she quickly added.

_What's wrong with this woman?_ The Beast asked himself inwardly, _One moment, she's ready to shoot me with her arrow. Another, she chided me like I'm a little boy. Then, she is all happy and… I don't know what._

"So?" Reine asked, "Is that so hard to decide?"

The Beast saw the excited sparkling in her green eyes and scowled, "Do whatever you want."

Reine curtsied to him; her first act of genuine respect. "I would be much honoured."

She then left, humming happily to herself. Yet, Neil couldn't help but to hear her voice, surprisingly soft and clear.

That time, he thought that the feelings inside of him, the longing nostalgia he felt, was simply because she had revived his name.

* * *

_There are only strings of events, arranged by the Fate, for you to keep learning and be a better person._

_Reine has managed to revive the Beast's name..._

_what will she do next?_

_Stay tuned to find out!_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review! ^^_

**_A/N: the earlier scene with Gwen walking with a book is actually based on the song Little Town, the opening song of Disney's Beauty and The Beast ^^_**


	7. Her Discovery

_Tailor of Our Hearts: I have plans for Allen and Gwen although, yes, in this story their romance might not be explored very deeply. As for Reine being the preferred OC, that's because Reine happens to be my OC while Gwen is my friend's (who writes the Colours series from Gwen POV), so I am more comfortable in dealing with Reine-centric stories. As for why Gwen is the one being able to see HG, that would be covered soon although you can guess if you want to ^^ looking forward for your predictions! (hint: look at their personalities)_

_teamBLAZE: I'd say her instantenous mood of being able to figure out which name belongs to whom does play a part in how she acts around the Beast at that point of time. ^^_

_ScipioPB: Maybe... or maybe there's another twist? Check it out! ^^_

* * *

After discovering the Beast's name, Reine felt an unexpected, overwhelming elation—so much that she had momentarily forgotten that she was, supposedly, the prisoner of the cursed castle.

However, there were many other factors that had allowed her to forget that fact. Firstly, the servants of the castles treated her very courteously—even the guards (turned into armours, which she found to be pretty cool) bowed to her when she walked pass and addressed her with respectfully as "my lady".

As for Rod the Candelabra, he had apparently designated himself as her personal attendant, so he had been following her around—or giving her directions when she was lost in certain hallways—as well as ensuring that all of her needs were being fulfilled. He also provided her with a friend to talk to—something that Reine was even more grateful for, especially considering his warm personality.

"Hey, this castle does have a dungeon, right?" she asked curiously as they walked pass through one of the many hallways in the castle.

"Yeah!" Rod replied, "Every castle surely does!"

"Then, why did you guys give me a room?"

Rod turned around, his expression puzzled, "Do you prefer sleeping in a dungeon instead of a room?"

"That's not what I meant!" Reine quickly replied, "I thought I was being held hostage here!"

Rod tilted his head slightly to the side, and the wax dropped to the floor and quickly formed a white layer over it. "Oh shit!" he quickly adjusted himself when he realized what he had done and tried to rectify the mistake. "In any case, mademoiselle—I believe that's the conclusion you've made up on your own?"

"Um… judging from the situation I don't think I was… wrong?" now Reine began to doubt herself.

"Master can be hard to read—even I can't understand what's going on in his mind, sometimes." Rod admitted, "but he's not the kind who likes to imprison people!"

Reine crossed her arms, "Then… why am I here?"

Just before Rod could answer the question, both of them noticed the wooden steps coming from the clock-butler, Gill. Both of them turned around with Rod bending his head slightly, and only briefly to avoid more wax spillage, and Reine casually said, "Bon jour."

Gill shot up a disapproving glare at Reine before he simply walked pass, and it took Reine quite a portion of her self-control not to lash out to the clock and smash it to the ground right there right then.

"Does he hate me or anything?! What did I do wrong?!" Reine hissed.

Rod scratched the back of his head carefully, "Um… maybe he… I don't know… Gill holds high respect for manners and etiquettes."

"Are you saying I don't have any manners?" Reine asked sharply.

"No! Nononono of course not!" the terrified candelabra replied quickly, "It's just… your temper is not exactly… how to put it…"

Reine chuckled, "Yeah, yeah, I know my own temper." She said, sparing him from the trouble. "I'm sure he'd prefer my sister, huh?"

Rod nodded gingerly before he peeked up, but there was no malice or even hurt in Reine's expression as if she had been expecting the reaction. Reine continued to walk, "I'm sorry for not feeling sorry about that."

* * *

Even after tossing and turning for the countless time, Reine couldn't fall asleep that night. Her instincts told her that there was something wrong in her room, but she couldn't really pinpoint what. On the other hand, it could be also because of her not being used to be sleeping in this room yet—this room was too big for one person, or at least that was what she felt after growing up in a small but cozy farmhouse.

Reine finally perked her body up and quickly tied her hair into a rather messy ponytail, and that was when she realized that in her current position, she was on the straight line with the mirror on the dressing table. Somehow, that night, something about her own reflection puzzled her that Reine couldn't take her eyes off the mirror.

"Hey…" a faint, unfamiliar voice greeted, which Reine sensed to be coming from the direction of the dressing table.

"Who is there?" Reine asked, feeling rather suspicious since she was sure she had identified all the cursed court members.

"Come here…" the voice said, "then I'll tell you my name."

Her sense as a huntress cautioned her, but curiosity won her over. Reine carefully stepped down from her bed, silently so that she wouldn't wake Rod—who was sleeping on her night stand while being her source of light—up in a jolt. Reine tiptoed to the direction of the dressing table. "I've never heard of you before."

"My name's Vivi." She said, and now Reine was sure that the voice came from _inside_ of the mirror instead of the whole dressing table. "Can't sleep tonight?"

"Yeah…"

"Have you explored this castle?" Vivi asked in a friendly tone.

Reine nodded, for a moment unsure whether the mirror would be able to see it, but she soon got her answer when Vivi said, "Isn't it a grand castle?"

"Yeah…"

"Have you ever been to the West Wing, though?"

"West Wing?"

Reine knew that the room she was in now was located on the East Wing of the castle, and the huge library was located on the North Wing, together with the grand dining hall and the ballroom, but she had never heard of the West Wing. Thus, she shook her head.

"What say you of a midnight adventure to the West Wing?" Vivi suggested, "Don't take the noisy candelabra with you, though—you want to explore quietly in night! Instead, take another candle!"

"But I don't know the way!"

"Oh, it's easy! Just go to the west from the grand stairs!"

This time, Reine's curiosity had totally taken over her logic and cool head. Reine grabbed a single candle and started making her way to the West Wing, inwardly asking why Rod had never mentioned the area before despite after telling her basically the whole history of the building of this castle.

Reine quickly found her way to the West Wing, and much to her surprise, this wing was eerily emptier than its eastern counterparts. There weren't many amenities being placed around, and if there was, there would be some teeth or claw marks on it. The lighting was also much dimmer than the East Wing, since for three candles in the candelabra, only one would be lit. Reine carefully moved forward until she reached a dead end, where she found a large ornamented door. She pushed it slightly, and it moved soundlessly, revealing a faint glow that was enough to pique the huntress' interest.

Reine stepped into the room and she found a single table at the middle of it, with a strangely glowing rose encased in glass. Somehow, the rose was able to stay afloat and not touching the table, and Reine could see there were several petals lying down on the wooden surface below the rose, but those fallen petals didn't glow like the ones still attached to the rose.

Strangely, Reine felt an urge to touch the rose. It was as if there was a strange gravity that pulled the young maiden towards the peculiar object. Reine took the glass case away and reached out for the rose. Her fingers almost touched the flower if Reine didn't hear the low, growling sound. She turned around abruptly and found the Beast, this time on all four, glaring at her; his eyes sharp and unforgiving. He bared his fangs before her face, "What are you doing there?!"

* * *

_Reine found the enchanted rose, and the Beast doesn't seem to be pleased about it!_

_How will she deal with this?_

_Stay tuned for the next update!_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review! ^^_


	8. Her History

_Chris Shino: don't worry, it's not that bad until I can't understand what you're trying to say! ^^ as for your prediction, I guess this is more like... a third option? hope you like it, though..._

_ScipioPB: well, this time I'm trying to reason out why the rose is being put inside a glass case. So things might be different :P_

* * *

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard his voice. She took a step back and that was when the Beast saw the uncovered rose.

"Idiot!" He rushed to snatch the glass case from her hand and placed it around the rose again.

Neil then glanced at the young huntress, studying her features up close. He was close enough for Reine to see a pair of deep violet eyes—the colour of rich red wine, but once she saw it, her vision was blurred as her head became lighter.

"Wha… what's happening?"

"By Goddess' grace!" he scowled as he grabbed Reine by her hand and dragged her out from the room.

Reine's thought was filled with the image of the strangely glowing rose, and Vivi's voice of 'adventure on the West Wing' and a pair of violet eyes. Those three memories jumbled up together, creating a mess in her head.

She registered a thudding sound. Then she saw a glass of water in front of her.

"Drink up." A voice said.

Reine glanced up and she saw Neil was sitting across her; the first time of being in this position with him since they usually took their meals separately.

"…why?" her voice came out soft, softer than she thought it was.

"You were almost…" he paused for a moment, "that rose shouldn't be seen directly."

"Huh?"

"I'm sure you've heard about the curse in this castle, right?" he asked. "That rose is the core of the curse. It's… enchanted."

"It glows…" Reine murmured.

Neil sighed in exasperation. If he had come in a little later, who knew what might happen to the young huntress? Before the rose was encased in the glass, it drained the energy of everyone who stared at it, causing it to glow brighter and brighter which caused the person unable to break the eye contact until he lost consciousness.

Now he was watching as the young huntress slumped against the table, completely ignoring the glass of water he had given her earlier. He let out another sigh, "What should I do…?"

* * *

Reine woke up with a jump when she heard the knocking on the door. She turned to the nightstand, but Rod was gone. She quickly turned to other side, finally finding the candelabra on its way to open the door. Her breakfast tray came in, but Reine was in no mood to eat. She could vaguely remember the rose, a pair of violet eyes, and the mention of something like a 'curse', but everything else was a blur.

"What happened last night?" she asked Rod.

"Huh? Nothing happened, mademoiselle." Rod replied, "You just slept so deeply I couldn't bring to wake you up."

Reine turned to the mirror. "Vivi?" she tried calling. "Vivi?!"

"Who's Vivi?" Rod asked. "Are you all right, mademoiselle?"

"It's the mirror!" Reine replied defensively.

Rod didn't seem to be convinced by her words and Reine turned towards the now silent mirror again. Reine then noticed her hair was still up in a high ponytail, albeit messy.

_Something definitely happened._ She said, _but what?_

She remembered the violet eyes, _but whose?_

"Who has violet eyes in this castle?" she blurted out.

"Why?" Rod asked, "Only Master does."

Reine jumped out from her bed and dashed out, "Where is he now?!" she asked.

"Er… I'm not sure, mademoiselle."

"I'll go to the West Wing!"

Upon the mention of the West Wing, Rod was immediately alerted. He had purposely left the part about West Wing out when telling her about this castle during the tour since West Wing was the Prince's private wing, and the Prince didn't like to have strangers in his private wing.

Rod immediately gave pursuit, hopping desperately on the floor, but Reine had the trained agility and speed of a huntress—chasing her wasn't an easy feat even for humans, much less a candelabra.

Before long, Reine managed to reach the West Wing, much to Rod's horror who was still trying to prevent Reine from meeting the Prince. It was all in vain, however, when they bumped into the Prince who was walking together with Gill.

"Neil!" she called out.

"So rude." Gill snorted, but it fell ignored by Reine who was too focused on Neil that she didn't even see him there.

"M… Master… I tried…"

Neil didn't seem to be bothered however. "What's your business?" he asked coolly.

"What happened last night?"

All eyes immediately shifted to Neil upon Reine's frank question. Gill watched while holding his breath, fearing for the worst of the Prince having a late night liaison with a peasant girl, a very unrefined one, in his standards.

"Master…" Gill murmured, unsure whether he should cross the boundaries.

Neil, however, remained calm. He looked at the two servants, "Leave us." He commanded coldly.

Gill, an obedient butler as ever, promptly obeyed the instruction despite having a gazillion of questions and fear of what might have happened the last night. Rod was unsure to leave Reine, afraid lest the Prince might be outraged at her for having run into the West Wing, but the butler dragged him along, leaving him with no choice but to obey.

"You were almost enchanted by the rose." Neil said after the two of them were out from earshot. "Do not remove the glass casing from the rose anymore."

"Why? What's the deal with that rose, anyway?!"

Neil sighed, "Are you stupid or what?" he asked, annoyed, "Haven't you figured out that this castle is a cursed castle, together with the forest surrounding it?"

"Yeah, I know that much!"

"The rose is the centre of all the curse!" Neil growled.

"Then, if that's really the case, just destroy the damn rose!"

"I can't!"

"Why?!"

"If anyone do that, the curse will _never_ be broken!"

Reine crossed her arms, getting increasingly sceptical. "Then, how do you break this… so-called curse?"

Upon her question, he shuffled uneasily on his feet. "Haven't you ever heard about that before? You're a girl, right?"

Reine raised an eyebrow, "What do you… oh!"

Neil averted his eyes from the girl, grumbling incoherently.

"Do you really believe that?" she asked bluntly, "An act of true love whatever?"

Reine began to see the connection between the seemingly sprawled dots. "And so you were thinking that _I_ am the girl who will grant you with that act of true love whatever bullshit?"

Neil shrugged. However, he didn't expect her next sentence—or maybe he should have, if he had known her any better.

"I don't buy that bullshit."

That was his saturation point. "You don't understand a shit, woman!" he roared, leaving behind a chilling echo. "_That_! That bullshit was the only thing that keeps every single one in this castle hopeful!"

"But I know love doesn't conquer _anything_!" Reine screamed back, equally fierce, and the echoes of her 'anything' went together with Neil earlier 'hopeful', creating an ironic, melancholic chorus of their stories. "Love creates more problem than it can solve!"

Reine ran away before Neil could say anything. She dashed pass the grand stairs to the East Wing, then to her bedroom. Inside, Rod was already waiting anxiously for her, and when he saw her already on the brink of tears, he feared for the worst.

"Mademoiselle! Mademoiselle!"

Reine threw herself to the bed, finally sobbing. "How… how could you believe that?" she groaned.

"Mademoiselle…" Rod called carefully as he moved to her side.

"If love does save people… Papa would've still…"

Reine glanced aside, finally noticing Rod. She sighed heavily as she sat up and wiped the tears away. Without any word, she rose and picked up her bow and arrow and left the room again.

This time, she walked to the garden, trying to find a suitable tree for her target. Finally, she decided on a broken stump just a few metres away from the West Wing.

Reine took the first arrow and loaded the bow as she narrowed down her focus to her target. One reason why she had loved archery, besides its practicality, was that it allowed her—for a brief moment—to forget everything else in the world but her target. She relished in that brief moment, although when she string snapped as the arrow sped to the target, she had to snap back to the reality as well.

This was the art that her father had taught her, among many other things. But the greatest—yet the worst—thing that he had given her was the ability to read—and with that, opening a brand new world through written words. However, that was also the worst, since that ability to read also sealed his doom.

Monsieur Rousseau, ten years prior to this, took on a voyage that never meant to see a dry land again.

Reine recalled her foolish wish—going to an academy to study more; a wish she made together with Gwen. Although her mother never said anything, Reine had overheard their conversation ten years ago, the night before that doomed journey.

_"I'll try to find a job there, so we can send them to a decent academy."_

That was what her father had told her mother.

Reine shot another arrow, but it missed the stump.

She knew her father had loved her and her sister dearly, but that love sent him to his death. And if love did save people, why couldn't her love save her father from such a fate? Was it not enough?

That was why she had decided to take up the bow that her father had left behind and to throw away the murderous dream she had had to go for an academy. She had never told Gwen about the conversation, though, since she had decided that there was no need for two people taking up a penance.

As if sensing her sadness, the bow broke in two when she tried to load it—the cloth she used to reattach them a few days ago came loose. It fell to the ground with a heavily light sound.

Reine could only watch helplessly at the now separated pieces of what was left of her father while from the window of the West Wing, the forlorn Beast was watching her intently, not with anger, but more with a kind of puzzlement that he himself couldn't decipher.

* * *

_Is she really the one to break the curse when she doesn't believe in it?_

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review! ^^_

**_A/N: Remember Reine's outburst when Zack broke the bow in Chapter 2? This is another reason why she was so mad when he did that. ^^"_**


	9. Lost In The Storm

_Chris Shino: check what I've got for you in this chapter! ^^_

_ScipioPB: that time she was thinking that "maybe she could buy a new one" while repairing the bow although she didn't need it urgently (at least when she did the repairing she didn't think she would need it urgently), I'd say that it's more like she is considering that as one option and that she was at that time torn between wanting to use her father's bow but not wanting to damage it any further (hence a new bow although she is repairing the damaged bow)._

* * *

"I'm leaving this place." Reine announced just after lunch. She was already prepared with her bow—that she had repaired again—and quiver attached to her body and a thin coat to protect her from the snow that had begun to cover the earth as the mark of the beginning of winter. Neil didn't give any response—not that she cared much about it—and she turned her back.

It was only after she had left Neil noticed the unusual dark cloud looming over the sky. He tried not to care about it, but something in his being—maybe what remained in his humanly heart—kept tugging at his conscience.

* * *

Reine realized too late that she had picked a horrendous timing to leave. She was already some distance away when the storm kicked in with a sudden burst of snow thrown at her body. The storm was blowing to the opposite site of where she was heading, blocking her way with more snow started piling on the ground in an accelerating rate. Reine kept trying to take another step forward, but a moment later she heard a sound of growling coming closer.

_Wolves?_ She immediately took her bow and loaded it.

True enough, soon she saw a pack of wolves coming towards her. Their furs were darker than those she usually saw, and even in the midst of the storm, she could clearly see their blood-coloured eyes. When she saw one of them was trying to charge at her, she immediately shot her arrow and managed to hit one of its' legs. However, when that action prompted another wolf to charge at her, and when she tried to shoot at it, her bow snapped again.

_Oh, shit._

Reine quickly slung her bow around her body and took her hunting knife, but the wolf had leapt and managed to bite her right leg, the pain of those sharp fangs being drilled into her body prompted her to throw, instead of stabbing, her knife to the wolf. It drove to wolf away, yes, but together with it was her knife.

The pinkette stood up and tried to muster up her courage, now completely unarmed except for her daringness. Maybe she could still run, hoping that the storm would finally mislead the wolves although she knew it would be unlikely if they used the scent of her blood as their guide. In the end, Reine couldn't find a better solution than to dodge the upcoming attack from the remaining three wolves.

Another howl was heard, but this time, it came from behind her. She looked around and there was nothing but sweeping whiteness across her vision field. She was immediately thrown into despair; she knew she couldn't take all four beasts without any kind of weaponry. Another wolf charged at her, and she could hear that the fourth creature was getting increasingly closer to her.

Much to her surprise, the fourth wolf-like creature leapt and charged at the dark-coloured wolf instead of her. It took her a moment to realize that the fourth creature was actually Neil. The pack immediately surrounded him and attacked him viciously, but Neil cleverly focused his attacks on the alpha of the pack despite the barrage from the whole pack. Once the alpha was too injured to press on assault, the whole pack retreated with the two wolves that Reine had managed to injure earlier staggering behind.

Reine stared in disbelief at Neil, but the beast only casted her a quick glare before heading back into the storm, leaving her behind. She didn't even get to thank him.

The pinkette fell onto her knees, feeling that her remaining strength was being sucked by the storm. She didn't know which way to go from there, her sense of direction being thrown astray by the coldness that begun to take a hold of her body.

_This way…_ a faint whisper caressed her ear. Reine turned to the direction of the voice, but of course she found no one there.

_Well, I better walk somewhere rather than staying here, anyway._ Reine reasoned before she forced herself to stand up and began walking, although frankly she didn't know where she was heading, letting that brief, faint whisper to be her guide, limping as she tried to hold back the burning pain on her leg.

* * *

She kept walking straight, or at least she thought she did, but nothing could have prepared her for the shock when she found herself standing in front of the gate that she had walked out from. Reine was stunned in disbelief before finally slumping to the ground. "Why…?" she murmured regretfully, "Why did I come back here…? How…?"

Fortunately, Rod saw a figure before the gate and he went out, and when he saw Reine he immediately went over to her and led her in; Reine was too exhausted and overwhelmed to refuse so she let the much relieved candelabra to lead her back into the enchanted castle. It was as if the spell had bound her to this castle—refusing to let her go.

When she entered the castle, ignoring the stinging sensation every time she moved her right leg, once again she saw the imposing figure of the beast. He turned and glared at her, but that moment she saw a big clawing mark on Neil's right arm. The beast immediately tried to cover the wound from the huntress, but it was futile since Reine had already asked some clean water and a piece of cloth.

She treated him in front of the fireplace, under the anxious watch of many of the servants, since the air was getting colder as well. The thoughts of him being treated by anyone irked him, so he guarded his own wound from her when she tried to clean it.

"Don't be so difficult." she urged, "It will take longer with your childish attitude."

She finally managed to put the dampened cloth on his wound, but the stinging pain that suddenly struck his nerves caused him to cry out in pain and he almost struck her with his arm, only to be evaded by her trained agility. "It hurts!" he groaned.

"If you shut up this will be faster!" she replied, getting impatient as well.

"Who do you think caused this wound?!" He snapped, feeling accomplished for having made such an argument.

"I never asked you to come!" Reine yelled back, leaving Neil dumbstruck since she did have a point.

However, much to his surprise, Reine's expression then took a gentler turn—the gentlest he had ever seen her so far, as she tried to dress the wound more carefully as she murmured, "…but you did come, and you saved me. Thanks…"

Neil felt an unexpected surge of warmth inside of him, but he tried to mask it by scoffing, "Finally you sound a little bit like a girl."

Reine chuckled. "For your information, I'm a girl." She said light-heartedly, "Just saying."

Reine quickly finished with dressing Neil's wound, bandaging it carefully, before she stood up. However, as soon as she got back to her feet, she felt light-headed and she dropped to the floor again.

"Hey!"

"Mademoiselle!" Rod cried out at the same time.

Neil turned her body around and found that her face was chalk white. "What…" his words were cut short as he remembered something, "Were you bitten?!"

Reine was unsure why he had asked such question, but she replied, "On my right leg."

Allen lifted the skirt of her dress carefully, and everyone in that room gasped in horror when they saw the red, slightly swollen lump surrounding a very clear bite mark on her right calf.

"This doesn't look good…" Allen murmured.

All animals affected by the curse would inflict poison to anyone they had bitten, unless that person was also affected by the same curse such as Neil.

However, Reine was a normal human, unaffected by this Witch's Curse. And now, that in itself had cursed her.

* * *

_Just as Neil and Reine begin to warm up,_

_danger is looming above Reine._

_Whose voice she had heard admist the storm?_

_What will happen to Reine?_

_Stay tuned to find out!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review! ^^_


	10. The Two Deities

_ToOH: yes, something along those lines. However, there are two HGs in this story and the other HG will be introduced very soon!_

_Guest: hahaha thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying the story! ^^_

_Chris Shino: the pleasure is mine! And I'm pleased that you found the newer version to be more enjoyable (I do, too) ^^ as for why Neil left Reine behind, his reasons will be explained in this chapter ^^_

_ScipioPB: Nope, it's not Vivi, sadly to say._

* * *

The castle physician's face was grim when he faced Neil and Allen outside of Reine's room. "There's no use in extracting the poison," he said, "If we had found it out earlier, maybe… but now is too late."

Reine insisted that she felt fine, only a bit light-headed, but with every minute that passed in the cursed castle, her complexion became more and more congruent to the snow, which she had almost been buried in earlier if she hadn't come back. Rod and Jessica were now attending to her bedside, their bullheadedness against her own since Reine was not used to being attended to.

"Can't you make an antidote?" Allen urged.

"Yes," he replied, much to the relief of both men, but his next sentence quickly overturned that sentiment, "but the ingredients of the potion mainly come from outside the boundaries of the curse."

There was no saying that area outside the boundaries of the curse was a no-go for any of them—with the exception of Reine; what would happen if someone were to spot them, enchanted furniture—or even a beastly man—walking around their forest? Imagine the unrest it would cause among the surrounding settlement—most likely they would be bound and burned.

What should they do?

That was the question both men had in mind but dared not to speak aloud. Neil turned his back and ran away, his figure was one of defeat—if anything were to happen to her, her blood would be on his hand; but now he could do nothing but to watch her to slowly wither.

* * *

When dinner was served to her room, Reine was unable to prop her own body to a sitting position. Seeing that, Allen went over from the fireplace and held her up.

"Don't say you're fine—you're obviously not. I dislike disobedient women." Allen warned her pre-emptively.

Gill was the one pushing the tray. However, instead of leaving the tray there like he would usually do, this time he waited until Reine was leaned against a stack of pillows and he served the tray carefully before her.

"It's clear soup and porridge," he said in a gentler and warmer tone, "I hope it's to your liking."

Reine chuckled. "…thanks."

Gill cleared his throat. "I would like to… apologize for my previous demeanour, mademoiselle." He said, "You… you are so kind to the Master."

Reine took a deep breath, but before she could answer him, Gill said, "Please do conserve your energy, mademoiselle,"

"I… uh… I will be outside in case… you need me."

Reine managed to smile and Gill took his leave. She took a deep breath once he left and stared at the food. She reached for the spoon, but her fingers were unable to curl around the handle, much less to lift it.

Despite the blazing fire from the fireplace, and the thick blanket, Reine couldn't hold back a shiver. Seeing that, Rod took a step closer, "Is it warmer now?" he asked worriedly.

She couldn't tell him that actually she felt colder by each second, even now.

* * *

As the night sky darkened, Reine's condition took an even worse turn. Her face was chalk white, she completely lost her voice and if one was to touch her, she was almost as cold as a dead body. Rod and Allen desperately tried to keep her warm by covering her with extra blanket and Rod standing very near to her with all of his candles being lit to its maximum potential while Allen tried to keep the fireplace going, "Please, mademoiselle, please…" he begged at the verge of tears.

Reine could only look at the candelabra helplessly; she didn't even have any energy to smile at him anymore. Breathing was now a labour to her, and each inhale felt like putting ice spikes into her body.

She had heard the physician telling Neil and Allen that it was too late for her. She initially thought that it was the reason why Gill bothered trying to be nice to her before he had explained himself.

Reine didn't hope for much. She had been hunting and fighting all her life ever since her father had left that she began to think that maybe this was the time for her to stop.

She closed her eyes, wondering how long the poison would take to really take her over.

* * *

Neil was alone in his room. He knew everything about Reine's condition, forcing Gill to tell him since the butler previously refused to disclose anything in fear of aggravating his master. After Gill left, Neil turned to find the glowing rose floating on the table, encased in glass.

An eerie laugh then broke the silence in the room, and Neil saw a dark figure standing next to the rose. Once he saw the silvery hair, Neil growled in anger. "You… what are you still doing here?!"

"Hello, Prince Charming," the unwanted visitor greeted mockingly as she stepped into the light, revealing a face that hadn't been changed since a decade ago. "I see that you're in distress."

"You witch!"

"A, a, a," the witch flicked her finger, "The name's Witch Princess Vivi, you know." She smiled, "I'd say, you have a bad taste for women. I'm waaaay better than that uncouth huntress!"

Neil lunged forward, wanting to tear her into pieces. However, Vivi immediately took the rose and shielded herself with it, forcing Neil to halt, his claws almost touching the glass jar. "Ah, you still have some brain, apparently." Vivi remarked derisively before she studied the rose, "Really, Prince, it seems to me that you've kept this little gift of mine well."

The Witch Princess recited what she had told him that night:

"If thou find someone who lovest thou as thou art before this rose shed all its petals, thou shalt be saved. Otherwise, thou shalt remain in this form. Forever."

She then glared at him, "You cheated, Prince. I know what that damned Sephia had done." The Witch Princess then put the rose back to where it was. "I was the one who told her to go to this wing—in hope that the rose would take her over. Consider that a warning from me."

Having said her piece, she disappeared in a flash, leaving Neil alone with the rose.

That rose was the beginning of everything: the curse, his despair, and now her undoing. He left her back there in the snow thinking that all she wanted to be was to be free from him, and from his cursed castle but now he cursed himself for having done so—maybe things would turn out to be better if he had brought her back earlier with him. But now, who had the answer to that? Not even the Goddess.

_What should I do…? _He asked inwardly; confused, clueless, hopeless.

It was then a faint figure appeared before him. He knew her, he had seen her before—she was the one who had guided him all these years with a promise of hope. However, lately her presence had been so faint that his faith began to dwindle again—at least until today. Now, he could even see clearly the features of her divine face; her deep blue-green eyes—the same shade with her long flowing hair, her small nose, her faint pink lips. He could see the sympathetic gaze she gave him now, but there was no other word to describe her being than 'sympathetic' in the first place.

Sephia, The Goddess-Patroness of his family, whose existence he had never believed in until the curse was placed upon him.

"Why…?"

"I came at the most desperate of times, remember?"

Neil remembered the first time she appeared before him well; the time when the Goddess had given him a grace period of ten years before the first petal dropped, allowing the curse in the area surrounding the castle to weaken so that a brave enough soul might be able to pass through the forest to reach the castle. Looking at her, he felt that he had no more strength left in his body.

"Please save her…" he beseeched in a voice that almost sounded like a sob.

The Goddess smiled, "Why do you think I guided her back here?"

* * *

_With Reine losing her strength and willingness to fight with every second,_

_the Goddess seems to have a plan to save her!_

_What will she do?_

_Stay tuned for the next update!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review! ^^_

**_A/N: just to clarify, so Vivi was disguising herself as one of the enchanted furniture (the mirror) to guide Reine to the forbidden West Wing in hope to incite Neil's anger or the destruction of the rose that will immediately set the curse to be permanent. So, yeah, Vivi is one of the antagonists, and yes, Vivi was the one who placed the curse around a decade prior to this story. She is like the Enchantress in the Disney's version, but as you might've guessed, her motives were different from the Enchantress._**


	11. Chasing Her

_ScipioPB: She will be trying to help without interfering too much, since divine beings shouldn't interfere with humans' affair too deeply except for special circumstances (for this case, since Vivi, another magical being, is directly messing with a human, Sephia had a reason to interfere directly as well; it's like a balance between order and chaos kind of thing)_

_Chris Shino: Sephia could only step in because Vivi had directly interfered by putting Reine into danger... so it's a trade-off. Besides, just like she told Neil in the previous chapter, she comes at the most desperate of times (now we can tell how desperate Neil is to save Reine, eh?)_

* * *

"Gwen, you should take a break."

"Mamma should, too." Gwen rejoined. "You just recovered."

Mme Rousseau smiled and finally put down the dish she was washing previously. Only then Gwen put down her own chore and both women sat down around the small dining table. Mme Rousseau took a good look at her younger daughter and smiled, "Now both of you are sixteen…" she pondered aloud. "I don't go out much, but I want to know whether you already have someone… you know…"

Only then Gwen realized that Mme Rousseau was looking intently at the sapphire ring on her finger. Reflexively, Gwen covered the ring with her other hand. "This is nothing, Mamma."

"Oh, really?" Mme Rousseau's eyes were twinkling with amusement. "Tell me about him."

"Umm…" Gwen tried to find the words to describe the giver of this ring to her mother, but she couldn't think of anything else but 'a magical coat hanger' and of course she couldn't give her poor mother a bout of heart attack or a tangled thread of confusion. "I… don't know his name."

"But you wore the ring?"

"He left the ring in the coat he lent me." Gwen explained, "I don't want to lose it, so I wear it… I'll return it the next time we meet."

Mme Rousseau smiled, "I sense a smart gentleman there, young lady." Her remark was met with Gwen's slight, hesitant smile. "So, when are you going to meet this monsieur again?"

"Oh, I don't know yet, Mamma." She replied, trying not to sound too disappointed. "But…"

"You _do_ want to meet him."

Colour rose to her cheeks as her mother laid out the bare truth she dared not to speak aloud. Mme Rousseau smiled understandingly—sometimes she wondered what had happened inside of her womb that her two daughters emerged to be so different from one another. Oftentimes she thought the reason being that while Reine was born when the dying sun blazed the last of its rays to the edges of the skies, Gwen's cry was only heard when the shy moon made her appearance on the sky, softly floating among the stars. She loved both of her daughters dearly; but she often found herself to be overwhelmed with Reine's fieriness—something that her late husband found to be treasurable—while Gwen's shyness emanated some sort of frequency that was congruent to her own.

The sentiment was enhanced after she was widowed. While Reine seemed to be the more outspoken between the two, Mme Rousseau had always sensed that beneath that frankness, there was a heavy secret that her daughter kept from everyone, including her. Hiding a leaf in the forest—something that Mme Rousseau knew her late husband had taught the girl while teaching her the art of hunting.

It was the reverse for Gwen. Beneath her silence, she was an open book. One only needed to be attentive enough to see the subtle changes on the contour of her face to guess what was inside of her heart. Gwen's silence laid her heart bare open to anyone who could see through its thin veil. While Reine was rooted to the earth—too rooted, if one might ask her—Gwen's head seemed to always float in the land of fantasy and dream and magic.

"Gwen, listen to me," Mme Rousseau stared into her daughter's eyes. "It's never about the riches—the gold, the diamonds, the carriage… they are beautiful, yes, but they shan't last." She put her hand above Gwen's and smiled, "It's always about the way you make each other feel: Can you make each other feel happy? Do you keep each other feel safe?"

Sensing that her daughter took her words seriously, Mme Rousseau smiled in satisfaction and rose from her seat. "I shall go back to my room to rest for a spell."

Gwen was still waist deep in thoughts moments after her mother retired to her room. She gazed at the sapphire ring—she was serious about returning the ring to him. Yes, it led her to meet a Goddess—but this ring was still not hers; it belonged to his family, the Goddess said so herself. Besides, she remembered that the Goddess told her that the 'magic' he had meant was something else, but there was no something else. Nothing changed in her life ever since she kept the ring close.

She began to think that he was bluffing her.

Just as Gwen resolved herself to really return the ring when the opportunity came, she heard knocking on the door. Gwen promptly stood up and went to open the door, only to find Zacharie LaRue standing in an ostentatious red and golden vest, with grey shirt and white cravat. Gwen quickly pushed the door close, but Zack managed to hold the door open with one arm, "Good day, my sister,"

_Oh, no…_ Gwen groaned internally, although she managed to muster up a smile. "Hi, Zack."

"I haven't seen my dear lover for days. I presume she is too shy after our last meeting." Zack asserted as he excused himself to the Rousseaus' farmhouse. "That's why I decided to see her myself. To tell her that everything will be fine."

_It's either his skin is made of stone, or his sense is… uncommon._ Gwen told herself although she maintained her outward calmness and closed the door, not noticing the party that Zack had gathered outside. "Sadly to say, Reine is currently not here."

"Oh, no worries! I shall wait for her!" he said immediately, "Anything for my dearest Reine."

_My goodness, Reine will throw a fit if she ever heard this._ The brunette tried to maintain her smile, "That is very kind of you, but I'm afraid she might not come back home for days. Hunting trip."

Zack sat down on the chair Mme Rousseau sat on earlier and brought his legs on the table. Gwen winced at his muddy boots. "You see, when she becomes my wife—like I told her—there's no need for hunting anymore! I'm a better hunter than she is! She can just wait at our little home for me to bring the hunt… and she can just simply wash my feet…" his eyes twinkled dreamily, "We'll have seven strapping boys like me, and I'll teach them how to hunt and soon she will be overflowed with food—more than she can ever cook them!"

The more Zack dwelled into his fantasy of his married life with Reine, the more Gwen felt like throwing up. She couldn't imagine her elder twin to settle in such a life.

"Her lifelong dreams will all become true!"

"Oh, Zack," Gwen interjected, finally having enough of his ramble. "What do you know about my sister and her dreams?"

_Even I don't know her dreams… or whether she has any dream at all._ Gwen admitted inwardly. _Reine's been too focused on hunting and providing._

At last Zack pulled his feet from the table and stood up. "A wild beauty she is! That's why only _I_ can tame her!"

"Tame, you say?" Gwen repeated, irritation began swelling in her heart.

Zack moved towards where Gwen stood, near the front door, slightly insulted by the tone her last sentence had adopted. "Women ought to be obedient, listening, agreeable,"

The muscular man leaned over to the door, trapping the slender lady beneath him. "Yes, just like you, Guinevere…" he said, looking down at her.

Gwen saw an opportunity, and she seized it. She quickly ducked aside while opening the door at the same time. Zack, who had been leaning his weight against it, was thrown outside and suddenly she heard a loud Wedding March being played with the speed three times faster than it should be. She closed the door and bolted it, but not before enjoying a brief sight of Zack faced buried in the snow, his body slumped as if he was prostrating—and only then Gwen saw the hasty wedding party set up on the farmland. She let out a heavy sigh afterwards, making a mental note to tidy up the mess on the farmland later, and saw her mother emerged from her bedroom, her eyes still looked sleepy. "Who plays loud and horrible Wedding March at day like this?"

"I'd say Won—you know, the lanky man that is following Zack?"

Mme Rousseau titled her head, "And why is that so?"

"Zack set up a wedding party just outside." Gwen said, "For Reine."

"Isn't he the handsomest man in the town?"

"Oh, he may be handsome—but he certainly is boorish and stupid!" Gwen went over to her mother with a horrified look on her face, "Mamma, certainly you don't think Reine should settle down with him! I know she'd rather be dead than thinking of marrying him, Mamma!"

"I do not know the man well myself," Mme Rousseau asserted calmly, "but if he manages to irritate even you, I guess Reine will not stand him for a second."

* * *

After Zack and his party left the farm, Gwen went out to the stable since Thor hadn't been brushed yet. Thor seemed to be pleased when he saw Gwen and she stroke his mane gently. "Zack is such an annoying guy." Gwen muttered. "How could he think Reine's into him, anyway?"

Just like that, Aaron popped out from nowhere, "Gwen! Gwen!"

Gwen looked down and saw Aaron was jumping up and down, trying to catch her attention. "Yes?"

"You have to quickly leave to the forest and gather these things and carry it to the Beast's castle!"

He flashed out a piece of paper and Gwen took it. "Quick! Your sister is in danger!"

That was all the reason she needed. She ran back to the house and sprawled a quick note.

_Urgent_

_I'm not having dinner_

_will be back ASAP_

_Love, Gwen_

* * *

_Gwen rushing off to save her sister!_

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review! ^^_


	12. Countdown: Time Is Over

Gwen gathered all the herbs listed as fast as she could, and she rode on Thor to reach the castle. She dismissed the eerie aura she felt once she entered the boundaries of the curse; all she could think of was her sister.

"There's one more ingredient!" Aaron, who floated in front of her as her guide, said. "The Prince will give it to you!"

"The Prince?"

"You know him as the Beast." He quickly corrected himself.

"Did he injure her?!" Gwen inquired with a slight tone of threat in her voice. Indeed, if there was anything that could incite Gwen's fury that would usually concern her family—especially her twin.

Aaron furiously nodded his head, "It's quite the contrary."

Before the sprite could give a further explanation, they already reached the castle. With an adrenaline-enhanced agility, Gwen leaped down from the horseback and dashed to the castle entrance, where a clock was waiting. "Mademoiselle?"

"I brought the herbs…"

A set of pestle and mortar appeared before her. "Thank you, mademoiselle." He said, "Let me check…"

Gwen brought the herbs before him, which he examined carefully before he nodded. "Yes, this will do."

"Let me help you." Gwen offered quickly.

The physician looked at her carefully before nodding. "Follow me."

He led her through an empty, seemingly desolate hallway lit by the hanging candles. Gwen wondered whether all these candelabras could talk as well, or only the one she saw briefly when she had been here.

They finally reached a well-lit room with a wooden crafting table and shelf at the far end of the room. There were empty jars arranged neatly on the shelf. "I haven't been able to gather any herbs ever since the curse."

From the books, Gwen had learned about how to discern which medicinal herbs to use for what purpose and which parts of the plants to be processed in what way to make the most use of their medicinal properties, however, she had never received tutelage on how to actually brew a potion. Fortunately, under the careful guidance of the castle physician, she was able to do tasks the physician couldn't do himself (since he was constrained in being a set of mortar and pestle) and soon the bubbling sound of the brewing potion over a small pot could be heard.

While waiting impatiently, they heard someone was coming. Gwen turned around, and much to her shock the towering figure of the Beast came into her sight. Gwen held her breath; this was the first time she had a good look on the Beast—and he was more terrifying than she had thought. He resembled a wolf, but in a gargantuan size. When he stood on his back leg, even with a slightly hunched back, she barely reached his wide shoulder. Even with his mouth shut, there was a pair of sharp fangs protruding out from his upper jaw, reaching his chin. His clothes were tattered in various places, and there were several fresh wounds on his body. Gwen looked up and met a pair of deep violet eyes and under his intense gaze, Gwen couldn't hold back a shudder.

The Beast said nothing but gave her a vial filled with dark red liquid. Gwen took it tentatively, before braving herself to say, "Thank you,"

She heard a low grunting voice. "Let me treat your injuries."

Just as she took a step forward, the Beast took a step back and raised his arm, "Don't touch me!" it growled, and Gwen shrunk in fear upon his thundering voice.

The Beast caught that fear, and he felt guilty for having assumed that Reine's sister had the same fearless demeanour. "I… I mean…" he stuttered, before abruptly turning back and walked away, leaving the bewildered young woman behind.

Keeping her confusion inside of her, Gwen gave the vial to the physician who promptly added it to the boiling mixture. "Master is never good with people even before the curse," he explained, "please do not be offended."

"but why he won't let me treat his injuries?"

"He let your sister treat his wound… that's how we found out too late that she's poisoned."

Gwen glanced back at the door from which the Beast had walked away. Her earlier fear dissipated and gave way to something more akin to pity.

The Beast was a sad man.

* * *

Gwen rushed down the hall, led by Rod, to Reine's room with the potion clutched tightly against her chest. She practically burst into the room, where Jessica, Cheryl and Allen were waiting. She didn't greet any of them but immediately rushed to her sister side. Reine lied on the bed unmoved with her eyes shut. Her bright complexion had been reduced to pale white, as if she had been left out in the snowstorm for hours, and indeed, her skin was cold when touched.

"She lost consciousness a few minutes ago," Jessica explained.

Gwen glanced back at her sister again. She saw Reine's chest rose slightly before dropping again—and that's was the only indication that she was still alive.

"We have to administer this potion…" Gwen murmured. "But, how…?"

It was then Gwen saw Reine's chest dropped, but not rising again. Gwen waited with a bating heart, counting to three inwardly, but Reine was as still as mannequin.

Gwen grabbed Reine's unmoving body and cried hysterically. "No!"

* * *

When she opened her eyes, she found herself being stranded on a part of forest that she wasn't really familiar with. There was no snow; the ground was covered with newly sprouted grass and the branches were covered with baby leaves.

She stood up and straightened her back; she saw a tall tower reaching the sky at a distance. Now, she remembered the place; her father often brought her there to train her archery—the last time she went to this place was right after she had heard about her father's demise; and that was the only time she remembered she got very close to the castle before running away since she was discovered by a castle occupant.

She had never been there ever since.

"Reine,"

Reine turned abruptly and her heart felt like stopped beating when she saw the figure approaching her; his tied up brunette hair kissed by the golden sun, the faint shade of stubble covering his lower jaw, the rough muscles beneath the yellowed shirt, the worn out hunting gloves that smelled of oil, and the muddy boots.

"Papa…"

He laughed and patted Reine on her shoulder, "Look at you—what a woman!"

That laugh; the easy-going laugh that seemed to melt all the hardships in life. Reine threw her arms around her father, pressing her face close to his broad chest. He squeezed her for a while before letting go and Reine wept the tear that escaped her eye. "Is this… afterlife?"

"More like somewhere in between." Monsieur Rousseau began walking, and gestured for her daughter to come along. Reine, just like the old times she could begin to remember, followed faithfully. "Why don't you tell me how your life have been?"

"Um… I'm hunting." Reine replied. "And farming."

"That's all?" her father asked curiously, "No more dreams?"

"Last time I dreamed of something, it cost me you."

"Oh, dear…" he lamented, "You know… our lives are defined by the choices we make." He stopped walking and turned around; his warm hazel eyes gazed at his daughter in a mixture of love, sadness and guilt. "but how could you know what choices to make if you don't have any dreams?"

He raised his hand and touched her cheek gently, and Reine could feel her father's warmth. She closed her eyes, and her father's warmth melted the frozen tears she had kept for the past decade. "I'm sorry, Papa…" she finally said, "I'm sorry…"

"It's not your fault, _ma bichette_," he replied lovingly. "I love you… and love is never a mistake."

He continued walking, and Reine followed. Soon, he parted the thick bushes in front of them and revealed that they had been walking towards the direction of the tall tower that turned out to be a part of a grand castle that both seemed so foreign and magical, yet familiar and real to her at the same time.

Reine took a step forward closer to the castle, standing between her father and the grand castle.

"Now, I'm giving you a choice." Monsieur Rousseau said, extending his hand. "You can either take my hand, and we'll go together."

"Or?"

Her father smiled kindly, "You know the other option very well, _ma bichette_," he said. "Just like what I told you every time you miss the target: you can always choose to give it another shot, right?"

Reine hesitated. She had thought that she knew what she wanted, but after meeting her father, she couldn't be so sure anymore.

She raised her hand tentatively at the open, waiting palm of her father.

* * *

_All we can do now is to wait._

That was the parting word the Goddess left him with. He knew that there was a limitation to how much a divine being could intervene in mortals' affair—which was why the Goddess couldn't overturn the curse since, as he had learned from her, the Fates had decreed it to be so.

_Have faith,_ she had told him then.

Another petal dropped from the rose, and just like any other before it and others followed, the magical glow enveloping it vanished as soon as it touched the table surface. Neil watched the scenery in silence, wondering why this time his heart didn't sink it usually would upon watching the petal fell. There was only numbness—as if knowing that there was a greater darkness rather than this curse.

Was there something that he dreaded even more than the losing to the curse?

* * *

_Gwen missed her sister by a breath,_

_while the Goddess still asked for Neil to 'have faith'._

_Will his faith be sustained? Or is faith really a privilege he can't afford to have now?_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review! ^^_


	13. Another Shot

_teamBLAZE: hahaha pray do explain what do you mean by 'imagine believe Spice'? _

_ToOH: HAHAHA that would be hilarious. Maybe Mme Rousseau would think Gwen is really dreaming :P_

_ScipioPB: you'll see what she did soon enough ^^_

* * *

Reine put her hand above her father's, but a moment before she tightened her grip, she pulled her hand back abruptly and took a step back. "No, I can't."

Her father smiled, "Why?"

"I don't know." Reine admitted. "It just feels… wrong, if I go now."

"Maybe you're right." Her father agreed readily. "Just turn around and you'll find your way."

Reine turned around, but before she actually walked, she turned again to see her father. "Do you believe love conquers everything?"

"Oh, not everything. That's an exaggeration, I believe." Her father replied, "but it's totally worth the problems it brings along."

"How so?"

Her father smiled lovingly, "There is a certain comfort knowing that you are special to someone; that you have a place to call home because every time you go back there, there's someone waiting for you with open arms."

"Okay…"

"And you will learn, Reine, that even when people do leave… love never will. It stays—just like how my love stays with you."

Upon hearing her father's words, Reine felt certain warmth began to take root in her heart—like a warm blanket being put around her hardened heart. That warmth pulled the corner of her lips upwards, "I guess… I begin to understand what you're actually saying."

Armed with that new knowledge, Reine confidently turned and walked away from her father. Soon, she felt there was a force pulling her into the castle, like a magnet finding a piece of steel, and as she got closer and closer to the castle gate, the force was so strong that she shut her eyes. Another second, and all the air in her lungs was sucked out forcefully that she tried to take a deep breath.

She felt the air filling in her lungs, and it felt liberating. Next, she tried to sweep away the darkness by opening her eyes, and she saw Gwen's face staring down at her with eyes filled by tears.

"Oh, Goddess!" she threw her arms around her and hugged her tightly (the last time Reine remembered Gwen behaving like this was after she accidentally locked herself in an empty barn until she found her just before dinner). "Thank Goddess you're alive!"

"Welcome back, mademoiselle," Allen greeted with a much-relieved smile (although he wouldn't admit it).

"We have to tell Master!" and with that the candelabra dashed out from the room.

"Oh, yes," Gwen said, "the Beast helped us by getting the wolf blood for the potion."

"…Neil." Her voice was croaked and faint.

"Huh?"

"It's Neil…" Reine repeated slowly, "his name."

"You mean… the Beast?"

Reine, not having energy for another word, nodded. A moment later, the door was opened and something—or rather someone—was pushed inside rather forcefully. Everyone in the room turned their heads to find the Beast, and the candelabra behind him.

Neil looked around and his eyes soon locked on Reine. "H—hey." He greeted awkwardly, "Rod told me… it's not that—no, I mean…"

Reine narrowed her eyes, like a predator locking in on its prey. The moment she did that, Neil stopped speaking—was there something wrong? Was she angry at him?

"…You're hurt." She remarked factually.

Only then Neil looked at his body, his wounds were still unattended since he had refused to let anyone to tend to it, his mind had wandered to somewhere else. "Um… this…"

He saw her taking in a deep breath, and a moment later, she smiled at him. "I heard…" She said, "thanks."

"Uh…" he stuttered. "No problem."

Neil shuffled uneasily on his feet and Gwen—keen as ever—noticed that. She smiled knowingly and glanced at Reine, who didn't seem to notice it as well since she fell into a deep slumber obliviously.

Gwen rose and fixed the blanket over Reine's body. "Let her rest." She said, "I…"

"I believe you should stay here until Reine is fully recovered." Allen interjected gracefully, "You miss her, too, right?"

Gwen turned at the unexpected suggestion. She did want to stay longer, but she was unsure whether the Beast—Neil—was willing to extend that hospitality towards her, and she didn't dare to ask.

"Um…" she murmured hesitantly.

"…that's fine by me." Neil declared in a low voice, before making his exit.

Allen smiled triumphantly, "I will show you to your room."

* * *

Gwen twirled the ring around her finger nervously as she followed the coat hanger walking down the hallway. She had had an opportunity to look around, and she noticed that all the artworks displayed in the castle depicted devilish themes, accentuating the dark and gloomy feel to the castle. She began to wonder what kind of artists created these works and whether the family who owned this castle was indeed a fan of such lines of artworks.

"Oh, they didn't look like that before the curse, trust me." Allen assured her, as if reading her mind. "As emo as the Master could be, he wasn't a fan of devilish artworks."

Finally Allen stopped in front of a door and opened it for her, letting her to step in before he did. Gwen noticed that it was slightly smaller than the room Reine was in, but it still felt spacious for her.

"Anything you need, you can call me—or any other. We'll be happy to serve you, mademoiselle."

"Why you?" Gwen asked softly.

"I beg your pardon?"

Gwen turned around and finally raised her eyes to meet his. "You… you are not one of the servants here, right?"

Allen smiled calmly, "and how did you come into such conclusion?"

"The way you talked to Be—Neil." Gwen replied, "It is more like… he is your family. A younger one, even."

There was a brief period of silence before Allen finally laughed. "My, my, I can't believe you." He said, "One sentence, and such deduction!"

His comment made Gwen felt foolish for having assumed so much for such a brief interaction. Colour rose to her cheeks and she lowered her head again.

"Am I… wrong?"

"No." Allen replied, "Neil is my younger cousin from my mother's side."

"Then… why?" Gwen asked again, "Why did you act as if you're a servant?"

Allen chuckled; it appeared to him that Gwen hadn't guessed that far yet, so he was safe. "I will let that to your able imagination, mademoiselle." He replied teasingly.

Gwen took a deep breath and slowly took off the ring from her finger. "Then I believe… this ring is really yours?" she asked, "Are you the one… born of wreath of roses?"

"Yes." Allen replied, "I came from the Rosenkrantz house."

"Why gave this to me?"

"For safekeeping." He said. "This ring came from this castle. It has the scent of the curse—that's why you weren't attacked when you fled back."

"If that's the only purpose, I'm sure there are other things you could lend me."

"I believe I told you that ring has certain magic in it."

"I believe you are bluffing me on that."

Allen sighed. "Why don't we stop beating around the bush and you tell me what's the real problem here?" he said, finally losing his patience. "As much as I love conversing with you, and as much as I admire your sharp mind, you are agitating me, mademoiselle."

Again, Gwen's cheeks reddened. She was bothered by how Zack wanted to marry Reine without having any idea what kind of person Reine actually was. Furthermore, just now she had heard the way Reine addressed Neil: so humanly and… casually—she knew his name; and she would be lying if she said it didn't irk her that the coat hanger before her had given her a beautiful ring but she didn't know his name, or anything about him at all.

"I don't know you." Gwen finally admitted, "I can't accept a ring from someone I don't know… and who doesn't know me."

Allen sighed in relief—it was better than he had imagined earlier. He smiled at the young girl before him, "Why don't we start from names, then?"

Gwen looked up timorously to find Allen bowed his head politely at her. "I am Allen Christian Rosenkrantz. Pleased to meet you."

Gwen took a deep breath, "Guinevere." She replied, "Guinevere Louise Rousseau… but you can call me… Gwen."

Allen smiled, "That's a good start. Where do you want to go next?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You are going to stay here for a while, right?" Allen said, "I believe, besides tending to your sister, you have some time to spare with a simple coat hanger such as I am? I will tell you every nook and cranny of my being—and I will listen to yours as well, as time permits."

Gwen smiled as her cheeks blushed again, and Allen's expertise made that simple, shy smile to be enough for him as an answer.

* * *

_Reine decided to give her life another shot,_

_while Gwen takes the plunge to get to know the 'coat hanger' better!_

_Let's see how this plays out..._

_thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review! ^^_

**_A/N: notice that Reine's first spoken word, after being enlightened about the values of having dreams and to love, is actually "Neil"? (technically that's because she wants to tell Gwen that the Beast has name, but oh well :P)_**


	14. Human Again

_Thanks for the reviews guys!_

_What's a Disney's rendition without their famed songs?_

_Therefore, in this chapter, a song in Beauty and The Beast will be featured. The title is Human Again, which we couldn't find in the 1991 animation release but it is released during the musical rendition as well as the re-released 2002 and 2010 Blu-Ray version! It's an awesome song, and I guess you might want to listen to that song while reading this chapter! ^^ (I found it on YouTube, by the way)_

_Of course I have to shorten and modify some parts of the lyrics to fit the story, but I've tried to match the syllables, so without further ado... enjoy! ^^_

* * *

After a restful sleep, Reine was finally able to get out from her bed and walked around, although it caused great distress for many servants who cared and worried a great deal about her, such as Rod and Jessica—although in the end they couldn't beat her stubbornness.

"Your dinner will be brought to your room, mademoiselle,"

"Thanks, Gill, but I am feeling fine." Reine replied, "I can't be cooped up in the room _forever_!"

"But—"

Their conversation was cut short with the appearance of the Master, who seemed to get out from his private wing more and more these days. His sharpened senses had let him to hear the conversation even from afar. "Let her do as she wishes,"

Reine smiled triumphantly while Gill bowed in acquiescence. "Very well, Master."

Neil was about to walk away when Reine walked up next to him, "Hey, can I ask you something?"

Neil stopped on his track and turned to her, and Reine accurately took this as an OK for her. "Where do you usually have your dinner?"

"…why did you ask?"

"Why don't we have dinner together?" Reine suggested with an innocent smile on her face. "With Gwen?"

Neil's eyes widened and he held his breath. "Are you serious?"

"Why not?" Reine asked back with a childlike obliviousness.

* * *

Gwen sat on the edge of her bed, staring at Allen quizzically. "He wants me to have dinner with him?"

"Yes. Together with your sister."

Gwen seemed to seriously consider the invitation. "…should I come?"

"Alternatively, of course you can have your dinner here if you wish it to be so." Allen assured her with a smile, "I can arrange for that as well, and I'm sure you won't offend Neil if that's what you're worried about."

"How about you?"

Allen laughed, "I haven't eaten anything for the last decade." He said, "but I wouldn't mind staying here while you eat."

Gwen stared at him in puzzlement. "You know… you didn't answer my earlier question." She said, "about why you attend to me this way while you're not a servant here."

"And I've told you, mademoiselle, that I would leave that up to your able imagination." Allen reminded her.

"If I were you, I wouldn't do that." Gwen blushed slightly, "my imagination can be… rather wild, I'd say."

"I wouldn't mind your wild imagination." Allen assured her still with a smile gracing his wooden features. "I think you should be worried of the kinds of wild imagination that _I_ can have."

The brunette tilted her head slightly in cluelessness and Allen couldn't hold back his laughter. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry—your blank face is rather adorable so I couldn't hold myself."

Upon his words, Gwen felt her heartbeat quickened. _Did he just compliment me?_

"Back to the topic," Allen cleared his voice, "Yes or no?"

Gwen stared at Allen, trying to make up her own mind. Reine's presence in that dinner sure made things difficult for her.

* * *

Since Gwen declined the dinner invitation, the word had spread around the castle that Mademoiselle Renaissance Rousseau would attend a dinner with the Master. These words alone was enough to send all of them cleaning the dusty castle—including the West Wing—while a selected pick of servants (and Allen) prepped the Master, including a bath.

"I would suggest dinner over soft, classical music." Gill said.

"Give her a present, Master!" Rod suggested cheerfully, "Girls like presents!"

"You can say that's for her get-well present." Jessica joined in with an approving nod.

"It's just dinner."

Allen shoved Neil deeper into the tub, filling his open mouth with soap bubbles, while at the same time he brushed the fur on Neil's body harder than before, "DAMN YOU ALLEN! STOP IT!" Neil growled as he tried to spit out all the bubbles in his mouth.

Allen seemed to ignore Neil's protest and began to hum, "Ah… human again… think what that means…"

_I'll be dancing again_

_Be good-looking again_

_With a certain mademoiselle in my arms_

_When I'm human again_

_Only human again_

_Poised and polished and gleaming with charm…_

_I'll be courting again_

_Chic and sporting again,_

"Which should cause other bachelors alarm." Jessica quipped in in-tune, causing Allen to laugh.

Neil groaned, "Why am I doing all the work?!"

"Oh, no you aren't—_we_ are doing the work for you to get the girl." Allen reminded him as he poured some more shampoo on Neil's head and scrubbed it hard.

"The hell, Allen?!"

"That's for ruining my song," Allen remarked.

* * *

Meanwhile, the rest of the castle's household seemed to be united in the sudden cheerful mood. As they cleaned the castle from the dust, changed the torn curtains into the good ones, and wiped the brass all over the castle to restore their glorious shine, they sang cheerfully:

_So sweep the dust from the floor!_

_Let's let some light in the room!_

_I can feel, I can tell_

_Someone might break the spell_

_Any day now…_

_Shine up the brass on the door!_

_Alert the dust pail and broom!_

_If it all goes as planned_

_Our time may be at hand_

_Any day now…_

_Open the shutters and let in some air…_

_Put these here and those over there!_

_Sweep up the years_

_Of sadness and tears_

_And throw them away!_

As they cleaned and sang Reine was attracted by the harmonious cheerfulness and decided to approach one of the servants, "You guys seem to be in an awfully good mood today."

"Whoops!"

Earlier, before dismissing them to their respective duties, Gill had gathered all the servants and warned them that Reine shouldn't know their plan of getting her to fall in love to their Master, considering Reine's personality.

"…we should let it flow _naturally_!" Gill had emphasised then.

The servants abruptly stopped all their work and stared at Reine, and Reine frowned, "Why? What's wrong?"

"Mademoiselle, shouldn't you get some rest?" one of them said while smiling coyly.

"Oh, come on, I've had enough rest already." Reine replied, "Can't I join the fun?"

"Reine, there you are!"

Reine turned around and found her younger twin walking towards her, "Gwen!" she called excitedly.

"How about we walk around the castle together?"

It didn't take very long for Reine to come to a decision, "Yeah, sure! That'd be great!"

With that agreement, Gwen quietly led Reine away from the half-cleaned hall, much to the relief of the servants.

* * *

"You made too much fuss over a _dinner_!" Neil growled in frustration when Allen forced him to sit down and began to trim his overgrown fur.

"Oh, no, no, no—she's our best shot at breaking the curse and I'm not letting you to ruin that chance because of your own incompetence in the arts of falling in love!"

"What the hell?! I'm not asexual, okay?! I did have a cru—" Neil stopped abruptly, but Allen had already caught the word and glared at him. "Please continue that or I'll make a bald spot right at the crown of your big head."

For some moments the two cousins descended into some sort of staring contest and Allen, staying true to his words took a handful of Neil's fur located at the top of his head and placed it between the scissors.

"It's not her!" Neil groaned, "It was… a girl I saw in the forest, ten years ago!"

Allen smiled triumphantly, "Continue."

"I was playing outside of the castle when I heard somebody's singing, a girl's voice, and then I sneaked up behind some bushes. That's when I saw her. She stopped singing some moments later and took her bow and drew the string. It was a bull's eye."

"Aaaah~ so when this certain girl shot a bull's eye, the Cupid bull's-eyed you as well?"

Neil growled, "Why when you're the one retelling it that story sounds gross?"

"But don't you think it could be Reine? She's good with bows, too, right? Besides, this girl might be around Reine's age—assuming you weren't a paedophile or having an attraction to… a big-sister type."

"No. I'm pretty damn sure it couldn't be her."

Allen was tempted to press the matter further, but looking at Neil's certainty he finally gave up on the idea. Much to his surprise, Neil voluntarily gave him the next piece of information.

"Anyway, she found out she wasn't alone and almost shot me—but she immediately ran away when she saw me. I guess she might figured I came from the castle and afraid being accused for trespassing." he continued, "Actually I wanted to give her the rose for a truce. You know—the rose that witch so obsessed with? It was the only blooming rose at that time and I wanted to give it to the girl instead of some creepy witch."

Neil glanced at the now-enchanted rose, relishing briefly at his childhood crush before sighing, "In any case, that girl couldn't be her."

* * *

"I'm sorry about Gwen." Reine said during the dinner, which had reached the second course. "She can be extremely shy around strangers."

"…It's fine."

"But she is a very nice girl, you know?" Reine continued, "and she's very romantic. She surely believes in that notion of true love's kiss."

"I see…"

Rod watched the conversation between them with a worried heart, _Did Mademoiselle Reine just try to push Master to Mademoiselle Gwen?_ He wondered. _But…_

"In any case…" Reine trailed off as she let the servant, enchanted into a serving trolley, took the empty plate before replacing it with the next course. "I guess I was too harsh on you back then. I'm sorry about that."

"…It's fine." Neil replied, "Not that I couldn't understand."

"Sorry?"

"It's hard to have faith." Neil admitted. "And harder to keep it."

"I guess so…" Reine agreed, "but… after what happened… I guess there's no harm trying. To have faith, I mean."

"Hm."

The rest of the dinner went in a relative silence as both Neil and Reine dwelled deeper into their own thoughts. However, Neil also mustered up enough courage to ask her to stay a bit longer after the last course had been cleared from the table.

"There's something I want to show you."

Reine smiled, "Sure, what's it?"

Neil led her through the hallway and out to the inner garden, which was almost barren except for the newly planted seedlings and sparse patches of grass. They walked past through the garden and reached a place Reine had never explored before, illuminated by an array of candles (on Allen's insistence) in the shape of lanes that directed Reine's vision to a line of round target boards.

"You have a range?!" Reine exclaimed excitedly.

"Well, yeah, but it's hardly used." Neil admitted. "This place is yours."

Reine turned at him, her eyes sparkling with excitement, "Really?!"

Neil nodded, but what came afterwards shocked him beyond words as Reine lunged and hugged him, "Thank you! You're awesome!"

Of course that scene didn't escape the watch of the servants who had been following at a safe distance. They cheered among themselves:

_When we're human again_

_Only human again_

_When the girl fin'lly set us all free!_

_Cheeks a-blooming again_

_We're assuming again_

_We'll resume our long lost joie de vivre!_

_We'll be playin' again_

_Holiday' again_

_And we're praying it's A-S-A-P_

_When we cast off this pall_

_We'll stand straight, we'll walk tall_

_When we're all that we were_

_Thanks to him, thanks to her_

_Coming closer and closer_

_And closer and…_

_We'll be dancing again!_

_We'll be gliding again!_

_Stepping, striding as fine as you please…_

_Like a real human does_

_I'll be all that I was_

_On that glorious morn_

_When we're fin'lly reborn_

_And we're all human again!_

When Reine finally let go, Neil cleared his throat in his nervousness and said, "And, uh, I heard… your bow snapped. So, here,"

He handed her a new silver-coloured recurve bow, made of tempered steel together with a matching quiver with arrows. Reine paused for a moment, unsure whether to accept this other gift. Her father's words came to her mind:

_Love never will. It stays—just like how my love stays with you._

_Yes, it will,_ she assured herself, _even if I put his old bow to rest._

Finally with a smile, she accepted the bow, "Thank you so much." She told him sincerely.

"You know, Reine…" Neil trailed off, unsure whether he should continue.

"Hm?"

"You… you make me feel like human again."

Reine gazed at him quizzically, "Aren't you always one?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"Well, yeah, you got cursed and everything. It changed your outward appearance, but I'm sure what's inside of you stays." Reine explained as she nocked an arrow on the bow. She then steadied her stance and began to draw the arrow.

Only then Neil noticed the peculiar way in which Reine drew her bow—in which she drawing hand was her left hand, just like that girl of his boyhood days.

Reine let the arrow go, and it was a bull's eye.

_No, she couldn't be her._ Neil assured himself, _that girl was a redhead._

* * *

_With Reine learning to let go of her past,_

_perhaps Neil should learn to let go of his, too?_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review! ^^_

**_A/N: Sorry for the super long chapter. I was thinking of dividing this chapter into two, but I don't want to break the song flow. I hope it's worth it, though. ^^_**


	15. Here And Real

_teamBLAZE: I'm glad you enjoy the little bit of humour there! ^^_

_Chris Shino: I heard that they had planned to include it in the first version but they had to cut it down because of length issues. I haven't watched the version in which this song is included, so I don't know how "out-of-place" this song sounds, especially when comparing to the marvellous 1991 edition, but on its own this song has a certain merit (and good humour, too, I guess). In any case, yeah, this chapter will be more about their relationship, so I hope you'll enjoy this! ^^_

_By the way, the song featured in this chapter would be Barbra Streisand's "Papa, Can You Hear Me?"_

* * *

Gwen decided to go home the next day, seeing that Reine was already pretty much recovered. "I can't leave Mamma alone for too long,"

"You're right." Reine agreed.

For a moment the two sisters stared at each other in silence. For the first time in their many years together, Reine was unsure how to tell Gwen of what she was thinking. However, Gwen didn't need spoken words, for she was a master in silent communication.

"You need to stay here, Reine," she said, "I agree."

"I'm not running away from Zack."

"I know."

"Okay…"

There was another brief moment of silence before Gwen finally decided to ask her sister, "Do you… love him?"

"Zack? Of course not!"

"No! I mean… Neil."

"Oh…" Reine trailed off. "That's way too early to say."

Gwen smiled, "But it seems to me he ranks higher than Zack in your eyes."

Reine laughed. "He's unexpectedly awkward—that's for sure." She took a deep breath before asking back, "How about you and Allen? I know you guys spend a great deal amount of time together."

Gwen blushed. "Uh… that's…"

Reine fixed her gaze at her sister—one effective way of coaxing the words out from the latter. True, Gwen finally relented and said, "He is a nice person."

Gwen twirled the ring around her finger and Reine sighed. "You're not exactly thinking of marrying him _now_, right?"

"Wha—no! Of course not!"

"Then, why the ring?"

"Oh… safekeeping."

"Uh-huh." Reine eyed the ring carefully, obviously not convinced. "In any case, you should go now—you'll reach Lindell before sunset."

Gwen nodded and both sisters rose from their seats and embraced each other. "Be careful, Gwen,"

"You too."

When they walked out from the castle door, Allen was already waiting with Thor. Gwen gave Reine another quick hug before walking towards Thor, and Allen helped her up.

"Thanks for not returning the ring," he whispered as he led Thor to the castle gate.

Gwen chuckled, "Safekeeping, right?"

Allen smiled. "Right."

Gwen turned around for the last time, "See you later," she said, before turning back and galloping away.

Allen turned back and saw Reine glaring at him with her arms crossed. He smiled coyly and Reine sighed.

"You hurt her, you'll end up being firewood, you hear me?"

"Crystal clear."

* * *

As Neil watched Reine shot yet another arrow—gaining more bull's eyes as she became more accustomed using her new bow—he remembered his earlier conversation with Allen. It was rare for him to have such a frank conversation, but he had to admit that in this matter, Allen was an expert (at the very least, relatively so to himself).

* * *

_"Do you still want to see this certain uncertain little girl? Do you still pin your hope on that childhood crush?"_

_"Why'd you ask anyway?"_

_"Yes or no?"_

_"Sometimes I wonder how she turns out. But I guess, with the way I am—well, who can ever love a beast?"_

_Allen sighed, "Then, rather than imagining some vague little girl from your childhood, why not see the one right in front of you? She touches your claw like it's not a big deal. She speaks to you the way she speaks to another human being—although strictly speaking she's the only human around—but don't you get my point? True, she can be harsh and unrefined—but that rawness of her is exactly what allows her to see the raw you. The real you. And are you telling me you're not going to consider that?"_

* * *

Another bull's eye, and Neil realized that there were no more arrows in her quiver, and the target board was crowded with arrows stuffed into the centre red circle, with a few outliers.

When Reine noticed the same fact herself, she began to sense her surrounding and finally noticed Neil's presence.

"How long have you been there?" she asked, snapping him out from his thoughts as well.

"Uh, I dunno… since your third arrow, I guess?"

"Wow, that's some time ago—don't you have anything better to do?"

Neil averted his gaze. "You seem so focused that you didn't notice me."

"Well, yes," Reine agreed. "Once I lock on my target, I ignore everything else. For me, that's the beauty of archery: for a moment, there was nothing in my eyes but the target."

"…sounds like if somebody wants your undivided attention they should be your target." Neil muttered lowly under his breath.

"Hm?"

"Nothing." He quickly replied.

Reine shrugged as she retrieved another batch of arrows. "Why don't you try shooting for a change? I can teach you."

"Ukh…"

"C'mon~" Reine cooed with a playful smile on her face. "It's not that hard."

"Fine…"

Reine grinned as she gave her bow to him, "You're right-hander? Okay, stand with your left feet in front of your right and spread your legs shoulder-wide. Then, you load the bow," she handed him an arrow and showed him the butt part, "You see this? This is a nock, and you put it like this." She guided him to load the bow and brought his arms up, "Focus on the target, hold your arms steady… then shoot."

Neil released the string the moment she said the word "shoot", and the arrow sped through the air, piercing the target board just at its perimeter. Neil glanced at Reine who smiled encouragingly at him, "It's okay. It's not that bad. I remember I missed my first target by five yards."

"Really?"

"Yep." Reine nodded, "But my father told me, as long as you keep focusing on the target, one day you'll hit it for sure. Just keep your focus, and keep giving it another shot. But you have to focus—that's why I decide to only focus at my target, and nothing else."

Allen's words resounding in his head.

_…rather than imagining some vague little girl from your childhood, why not see the one right in front of you?_

For a moment, Neil took a careful, closer look on the fearless young woman before him. It wasn't hard to see the fairness of her skin, despite all the scratch marks and callouses on her skin. Her soft pink hair, tied securely into a high ponytail like he always saw her, trapped some snowflakes that she didn't bother to get rid of. There was something almost adorable in her frankness—both in her words, her actions, even in her appearance.

Neil remembered that the girl from his childhood dream was a redhead, but he found himself not caring about that as much as he thought he did. Allen did have a point. After all, it was Reine, not that girl, who reminded him of his own name; it was Reine, not that girl, who gave him a human's warmth; it was Reine, not that girl, who saw him as a human still despite of his beastly figure.

It was Reine, not that girl, who was here—real and touchable.

A part of him loathed the fact that he abandoned his own boyhood dream in a snap. A dream of a decade—vague, but almost fantastical and soothing in the darkest of his times. He knew he would always remember her hair, red as the rose he had initially intended to give her before the Witch turned that very same rose into the clock on which his borrowed time was counted; and he would always remember her rich, tremulous voice singing a very sad ballad.

_Papa, are you near me?_

_Papa, can you hear me?_

_Papa, can you help me, not be frightened?_

_Looking at the skies I seem to see a million eyes_

_Which ones are yours?_

_Where are you now yesterday_

_Has waved goodbye and closed its doors?_

He would always remember that. But now he learned that that was all she should be for him: a remembrance, a memory.

And that it was Reine, not that girl, who was here—real and touchable.

Another snowflake fell on her hair and soon was tangled in the weavings of her hair. This time, Neil raised his hand and took that snowflake carefully.

That gesture shocked the huntress beyond words. Usually, her first instinct would be to back off, but somehow something glued her to where she stood that she didn't move at all.

"Uh… let's go back." Neil offered. "It's getting colder here."

"Isn't this fur thick enough?" she asked playfully, trying to conceal her shock by poking at his furry palm.

"You don't have fur." Neil replied, quite awkwardly, but sincerely concerned.

"Oh…"

Neil took off his cape and gave it to her before turning around and began to walk towards the castle, and somehow Reine followed him obediently after wrapping herself in that dark magenta cape, wondering why it was so easy for her to accept his kindness.

It had been quite some time, maybe ever since she took it upon herself to fill the void her father had left behind in pragmatic terms, that someone explicitly shown care and worry for her save for her mother and sister. Her huntress persona had led the people in her town believed her to be an untameable, almost-invincible woman. Maybe she herself had believed this that she hadn't expected anyone to show an ounce of care of her. Maybe she had even subconsciously tried to hide her more vulnerable parts to sustain that image, because in this day and age, three women living alone with no male protector was hard—someone had to take up that 'man' role, and she had decided that in her family, that should be hers, no matter what she had to give up to be it.

That was how she gave up her dreams to be properly educated.

And somewhere along the journey that had hardened her heart, and when she realized it she was left with a heart of stone. She knew, but she had decided to do nothing about it. If a heart of stone was what it took for her to sustain her family, so be it.

But his raw sincerity had stirred something in this heart of stone inside of hers. A flicker of a new flame. She knew she didn't exactly know what that was, but at the same time she felt that this new flame was not something entirely foreign at all.

It was like those famed treasures, whose existence was only known through tales and legends, whose existence only learned through legends and tales—foreign and familiar at the same time.

When they walked into the castle together, Reine knew that she was entering an unmapped forest in her heart, for the road and signposts of feelings previously there were already replaced by constant pragmatic, and practical concern of survival.

This was the time, she knew, she might have to begin to redraw the map of her own heart, as abstract as it might sound. Being a huntress, she was especially wary of the unknowns—but somehow this unknown didn't really worry her that much.

It was as if she knew, instinctively, that she was not alone—that someone would help her to redraw that map and find that buried treasure.

* * *

_Neil decided to move on from his childhood crush to someone who is "here and real"._

_While Reine begins to relearn the ropes of truly loving someone besides her mother and sister._

_Will the two of them succeed? Or is there something more awaits for them?_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review! ^^_


	16. Midnight Dream

They sat down on the plain ground after shooting around five arrows each. "You're getting better," Reine remarked, "Frankly speaking, you're a quick learner."

"You're not a bad coach yourself."

Reine laughed, "Really?" she asked, "Well, you're my first pupil, actually—so can't really say I agree."

This time, Neil eyed her curiously and she accurately picked his tacit signals and continued speaking, "People of my town aren't really fond of archeresses—can't settle down, they say."

"These days the only way for a girl to 'get a life' is to 'get married'—frankly speaking, I think that's bullshit. I'm not saying that a girl shouldn't marry—she may, but on her own terms. A girl ought to be free to choose how she lives her life."

Neil chuckled. Somehow, he had gotten used to Reine's diction—it was even refreshing for him since all the ladies he had known all his life, for as long as he remembered, spoke either very in a very delicate voice that he couldn't hear them properly or too scared to speak to him.

For him, this was the first time he could really enjoy spending time with someone from opposite gender. He wondered whether it was caused by Reine's tomboyish attitude that made her more similar to men in general, but he knew he was lying if he said he wasn't impressed by the way her beauty balanced itself out—feminine and masculine in an almost equal measure.

Yes. In his eyes, Reine truly was a young woman, who just happened to have a strong personality… and he didn't see any wrong in having such a personality, even if you're a woman.

* * *

This was the first time for Reine to converse at length with a guy who didn't look down on her—at least she thought he didn't. She often stole quick glances at him, wondering whether he had reached his saturation point on listening to her voice, but he appeared to be as attentive as ever. He didn't talk much, but he had this expression on his face that almost made her believed that he actually enjoyed listening to her.

This was the first time she felt she could really share her mind with someone else, and although it might sound ironic to others since she did it to a beast, Reine couldn't feel the irony at all for Neil was perfectly another human being in her eyes.

Yes. In her eyes, Neil was a man, who just happened to be cursed… and wasn't what lies inside that matters? Didn't we pick a fruit to enjoy its flesh instead of admiring its skin?

* * *

Neil disappeared after dinner although he had mentioned to her that he wanted to show her something. Reine was about to look for him when Gill approached her, "The Master asks for your presence at the rose garden,"

"Thank you, Gill."

"My pleasure."

Reine walked towards the garden, her bow and quiver in tow, in hopes of finding Neil as well as whatever he wanted to show her. When she stepped out from the castle towards the garden, she looked up at the sky and found that the full moon was hidden behind a thin cloak of gray cloud.

It was then Reine noticed a movement before her. Soon, a shadowy figure resembling a man was casted on the ground. With a trained speed, she took her bow and loaded it, "Who is that?!"

"Don't shoot!" a foreign voice replied.

"Who are you?!"

The cloud moved away, allowing the moon to bathe the ground on which they stood and Reine saw before her, a man she had never met before with shining golden hair—albeit a bit messy—dressed in shrivelled white shirt as well as tattered black pants. When he took a step forward towards her, she reflexively put the bow slightly higher, in a position ready to shoot anytime, aiming at this stranger.

"It's me!" he said desperately.

"Don't act as if we know each other!"

"It's me—Neil!"

"No way—you're too good-looking to be Neil!"

Colour rose to Neil's cheek. "Did you just compliment and insult me in one sentence?!"

Reine was thrown back by the confusion, "Well, only if you're Neil."

"Which I told you I am!" he insisted.

"How could I tell?!"

"Can't you see?!"

Finally Reine took a closer look at his face, then she saw the pair of deep violet eyes—just like Neil's. She finally put her bow down, "It's really you…" she murmured in disbelief. "Does this mean… the curse is broken?"

Neil looked at his hand, equally confused. "I… I don't know." He then looked at the castle—it was still covered in the overgrown vines, and the sculptures still took the figure of devils and hideous creatures. "I guess… not."

"Then… how?"

Neil rushed to the castle, pulling her with him, and when his foot stepped on the castle ground, the overgrown vines magically dispersed and all the hideous sculptures and paintings took their former forms, just like how Neil remembered it from a decade ago.

Slowly, each castle occupant returned to their human forms—only that it appeared to Neil they hadn't aged at all, except for himself. A red-haired man walked towards them and he smirked when he saw their linked hands, "So… this is the end of the curse?"

"I… I don't know…" Neil replied.

"Who are you?" Reine asked curiously, but she only received a playful smirk as an answer.

"In any case, this calls for celebration!" he said, before pulling Reine towards himself.

"Hey!"

Ignoring Reine's protests, that redhead dragged her to her room and ordered, "Wash yourself."

"Allen?"

"You're quite slow." Allen said teasingly. "In any case, being a gentleman I am, I am not going to wait for you here." He chuckled, "I'll go to my cousin—he needs some help himself, but that doesn't mean you can not preparing yourself, get it?"

He turned to an auburn-haired girl standing near Reine's dresser, "Yuri, make sure to it."

"Um… yes, m'lord."

* * *

Allen fitted Neil to one of his old ballroom coat, picking the colour of dark red wine trimmed with gold, which complimented Neil's eye colour and hair, over white shirt and kerchief and gold vest, together with black dress pants with gold trimmings on the sides.

"Okay, you look fine." Allen said, "Well, if you let me cut a bit of your hair—"

"No." Neil interjected. "This is fine."

Allen sighed, "Fine, fine…"

"Why am I doing this, anyway?!" Neil grunted.

"Because we're all human again and you are the master of this castle." Allen replied, "I don't mind taking your position, but that means I'll get to have her first dance."

"Wha—how?!"

Allen smirked, "You _do_ care about sharing your first dance with her."

Neil blushed. "Shut up!" he scowled, although a moment later he muttered. "I never danced with a girl before…"

Just as he finished his sentence, Gill—now dressed in his suit—knocked on the door and announced, "The lady awaits."

Neil took a deep breath. She had been the first girl he had spent a great deal amount of time with, but the thought of sharing his first dance, figurative and literal one, was still nerve-wrecking.

"Just be yourself." Allen finally imparted some wisdom to him.

Neil nodded. "Here goes nothing."

Neil walked out from his room and towards the grand stairs, and he was stunned for a moment when he saw Reine, this time dressed in a golden ball gown, its bottom part sparkled under the light like an array of powdered stars with an pale cream-coloured organza off-the-shoulder part pinned in the front, just above her chest, and matched with a pair of opera gloves. Her hair was curled and let loose, reaching her waist, with a rose-shaped golden hairpin fastened her long fringe to her left.

Both of them descended the stairs and met at the middle where Reine curtsied to him and he bowed politely to her.

She grinned. "I can't believe this." she said, "Another first, huh?"

Neil smiled and offered his hand, "Another first," he agreed.

With that, Reine took his hand and they walked down on the grand stairs together, walking to the grand ballroom where all the other castle occupants had been waiting for them, some cheering but mostly gazed in awe in their guests of honour's transformation.

The piano began to play as Neil led Reine to the middle of the ballroom. He nervously put his free hand on Reine's waist, stealing a quick peek to see any sign of discomfort on her face and internally sighing in relief when he saw none of it. Reine followed suit by placing her free hand on Neil's broad shoulder, and they began to glide slowly across the ballroom.

Rod, Allen and Jessica watched them from the side, with Cheryl dozing off in her mother's arms. "Ha! She exudes savoir faire tonight!" Allen said in a complimentary tone, "almost like a completely different girl!"

"She is so pretty!" Rod exclaimed excitedly.

"She is, she is…" Jessica agreed, before she began to sing softly, accompanying the wordless melody, completing it. Watching Neil and Reine, now beginning to glide across the room more comfortably, moving together more seamlessly, it felt that they were just like how melody and lyrics completed each other.

_Tale as old as time_

_True as it can be_

_Barely even friends,_

_Then somebody bends_

_Unexpectedly_

_Just a little change_

_Small to say the least_

_Both a little scared_

_Neither one prepared_

_Beauty and the Beast_

_Ever just the same_

_Ever a surprise_

_Ever as before and ever just as sure_

_As the sun will rise_

_Tale as old as time_

_Tune as old as song_

_Bittersweet and strange_

_Finding you can change_

_Learning you were wrong_

_Certain as the sun_

_Rising in the east_

_Tale as old as time_

_Song as old as rhyme_

_Beauty and The Beast_

When the song ended, Neil and Reine stopped dancing and facing the rest of the castle occupants, Neil announced, "You are all the guests of this party."

Neil gestured to the musician who played another song, and the first brave soul would be Julius who strode across the ballroom and asked Candace, one of the maids, to dance with him. Candace blushed but eventually agreed, and they became the first couple that encouraged more males to look for a dance partner.

Seeing that the party would continue even without them, with a tacit agreement, Neil and Reine left to the quieter balcony where they saw the moon was still glowing softly, hovering on the night sky. "Not bad for a first dance."

Neil chuckled. He felt like being more comfortable in quietude, but these days he realized that having Reine around was pleasing to him as well.

The song changed again and this time Reine's head perked up as she noticed the melody, "Oh, I know this song!"

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

_The peace the evening brings_

_The world for once_

_In perfect harmony_

_With all its living things_

Reine twirled around and found Neil was staring at her in disbelief. "What? Can't I sing?"

Truth to be told, that wasn't the reason why Neil was stunned. In fact, Reine had an unbelievably nice voice—rich and clear—a voice that almost reminded him of that girl of the forest.

Neil reached out to her and touched the tip of her hair and brought it near to himself. Reine chuckled, "My hair's pretty strange, right?" she said, "but it wasn't always this way."

Neil looked up and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Oh, I haven't told you, have I?" Reine chuckled, "I was born a redhead."

His heart stopped beating for a moment. "You… were?"

"Yeah." Reine said, oblivious to the effect of her words on Neil. "It was red… like Allen's. But it began to turn pink shortly after I turned ten—thank goodness it doesn't go any lighter than this or I'll look like a granny soon!"

Neil couldn't believe what he had just found out.

Was this why the Goddess had brought her here and not any other?

Neil moved his hand and touched her cheek lightly, feeling the warmth of her skin at the tip of his finger. She really was the girl of his dreams—and she was as real as she could be tonight; she was his past, as well as his present.

The moment she felt his finger on her skin, Reine's mind seemed to stop registering anything. Her eyes were fixed on his face; ever since they were dancing, she couldn't stop feeling that he was so familiar. She thought it was because she had indeed known him in his beastly form, so he wasn't really a stranger, but something in her head told her that there was something more than that.

Golden hair, violet eyes…

A face of a certain boy flashed back in her mind, jolting it awake again and her eyes widened in realization.

Now she remembered, ten years ago, when she ventured too close to the castle, a boy found her out after she took a short break. That boy, too, had rich golden hair as well as a pair of deep violet eyes.

_Could he be…?_

Neil clasped her face in his hands and closed the distance between them. Reine closed her eyes, and put her hands on his. She could feel the warmth of his breath coming closer and she held her breath, feeling that it was the right thing to do.

The clock struck midnight and Neil stopped abruptly just an inch from actually kissing her. When the second bell echoed throughout the castle, she fell on his arms, unconscious. On the third bell, slowly the castle reverted back to its darkened and gloomy state. On the fourth until the eleventh bell, the castle occupants began to revert back to their enchanted form.

On the last bell, Neil saw his hand turned into claws once again, and soon he felt his body became warmer as his skin was replaced by fur, again. Neil glanced down at Reine, her body still and seemingly lifeless.

The Goddess appeared before him. "She is fine," she immediately told him, "she's just too exhausted."

"You weaken the curse—and you know why." She continued, "but it will only take effect on a full moon night until midnight, just like now."

"It's fine…" Neil assured her as he picked Reine up from the floor. "It's better if she remembered this whole night as a dream."

* * *

Reine opened her eyes and found herself in her room, alone. The last thing she remembered was that she was in the balcony, with Neil—in his human form—who happened to be so much alike with the boy who found her out at the forest.

No. It wasn't that she had fallen in love with that boy that time. It was just if that really was the case, the world sure was small like people said.

_Was that real…?_

Reine turned to her nightstand, usually Rod would be there to greet her, but this time it was empty. With a sense of renewed hope, Reine jumped down from her bed and called, "Rod?"

Her hope sank, however, when she saw the candelabra hopping towards her. "Yes, mademoiselle?"

Reine sighed. "No, it's fine."

_It really was a dream, after all. _She told herself, _but it felt so… real._

* * *

_The curse is weakening,_

_but why do Neil want Reine to know nothing about it, when she is really the girl of his dreams?_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review! ^^_

**_A/N: yes, Chris Shino, you had it right all along ^^ apparently your hair can turn lighter prematurely either because of genetics or stress or any other reasons (but in real life, instead of gradually, it turns silvery at an instant, but for the sake of this story and explaning how the hell Reine gets her characteristic pink hair, let's just say it's gradual)_**


	17. Costly Freedom

_Hey guys, since my exam is starting, I am not going to update as frequently as I usually do. And for those reading Under The White, I'll put that story on hold since the stress of the exam is just... too much. You have my word that I am not abandoning that story, though, and I will come back to that as soon as this exam-monster has been dealt with!_

_ToOH: yeah, you got me there. Pink is my personal favourite colour. Plus, I think it's a fresh mix to have a tomboy pinkette since in HM games the pinkettes tend to be feminine (maybe Luna can be an exception, but then again, she is not exactly tomboy herself)_

_teamBLAZE: HAHAHA I won't end the story in such a rushed note despite being in exam! ^^_

_ScipioPB: Thanks! I was worried whether my description was not good enough, actually hahahaha_

* * *

Rod gazed at Reine with guilt permeating his heart. He could see her disappointment clear as day, but Neil had ordered everyone in the castle to be silent about the ball last night, and the sternness in his voice rendered no one dared to go against him.

"Is there… anything I could do?" Rod really hoped that Reine would ask him to fetch something for her, or sing, or do anything to lift her mood—but the lady just shook her head, "Nothing." She said curtly.

"Did you… have a bad dream…?"

"No." Reine replied almost immediately, "Not a bad dream…"

Reine took her bow and quiver and headed to the range. She was grateful when she found the range to be empty, and immediately took her position at one of the lanes. Reine loaded the bow and tried to focus her aim at the centre of the board, but the images of that golden-haired, violet-eyed young man kept flashing back into her head that she didn't even realize she had released the string—and the arrow was way off the target.

Reine took a deep breath and tried to shoot one more time. This time, the song invaded her head:

_Just a little change_

_Small to say the least_

_Both a little scared_

_Neither one prepared_

_Beauty and the Beast_

She inadvertently released the arrow, and it didn't even reach the target board. The third and fourth arrows, too, met the same fate. She didn't hit the perimeter of the round target board, much less a bull's eye. Reine finally threw her bow aside in frustration.

"How could a dream be so annoyingly real?!" she groaned.

She glanced back at the castle. It was still covered in overgrown vines and dead leaves and all the windows are tinted black—but she could easily picture the very same building now with polished walls and clear glass window.

Taking a deep breath, feeling the chilling air entering her lungs, Reine finally was calm enough to pick up her bow and walked back into the castle. However, instead of going to her room, Reine decided to go for a tour around the castle—this time, a solo tour. Only then she realized that she had stayed in the castle long enough for her legs to remember the ways in this grand castle.

Reine finally reached the grand stairs, and somehow, she could visualize clearly, the golden-haired young man walking down from the western side of the stairs, dressed in a rich dark purple coat.

_Yes, it was too real to be a dream,_ Reine concluded. _Either I suddenly have a very wild imagination… or it was indeed real._

It was then The Beast appeared from the western side of the grand stairs. He looked down and saw Reine looking up, right into his eyes. He descended the stairs in silence and approached her. "You have stayed long enough—the wolves wouldn't catch your scent by now."

"What do you mean?"

"Go away." He said coldly, "You are not needed here."

* * *

_"If you are really curious about the magic I'm talking about, wait until I am in a… more proper form."_

_"You mean… human form?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Why so?"_

_"So that the magic effect does not wear off prematurely."_

_"But what if we never meet again?"_

_"We will. Trust me, we will."_

There was something in his voice that made Gwen wanted to believe in his words. Was it the soothing tone? Or the confidence that he exuded?

Gwen sighed and she continued reading the invitation she held in her hand. Despite Lindell being classified as a provincial town, there was an old wealthy spinster who loved to throw parties, inviting the whole town. Gwen was unsure whether these parties were her way of showing how _different_ she was from the rest of the townsfolk, or simply as a show of generosity since these parties were really considered as one of the "fashionable" social events in the small town. Despite the irony, many unattached people of marriageable age used this party as an opportunity to look for prospective partner.

"You should go, Gwen," her mother said calmly.

"But I am not interested…"

"We have been invited. It is rude to turn it down."

Gwen exhaled deeply. "You are right." She said, "I just hope Zach would not be there."

Gwen walked to her room and opened her dresser, finally picking up a blue formal dress that seemed to be decent enough to be worn to such occasion, together with a royal blue bodice. Changing her dress and then putting her hair into a neat bun, Gwen didn't forget to slip the ring to her ring finger—after all, the blue sapphire matched her outfit nicely.

"Have fun, dearest," Mme Rousseau said while seeing her daughter off.

Along the way, Gwen noticed a group of young women walking towards the old spinster's manor. She quickly noticed these young women as the ones she referred to as the 'Bimbettes' in her conversation with Reine for their loud voices. She carefully adjusted her steps so that she was three to five steps behind them, but she still could clearly hear their conversation. Gwen tried to move further back, but one of the Bimbettes' words caught her interest.

"…have you seen that Renaissance Rousseau these days?"

"No! Maybe she is missing in the forest—ah, that foolish girl!"

"She is so… how to say it… improper!"

"Hey, but I heard Zach is pining for her!"

"Really?" the other two girls gasped.

"Oooh~ Zach is so dreamy! Imagine being held by his strong arms~"

The girl continued to giggle among themselves until their finally reached the manor, and they never noticed the presence of Guinevere Rousseau behind them since the latter immediately chose to conceal herself among the other attendees before the three young women learned that she had heard what they had talked about her sister. Gwen found it useless to argue with the likes of them, since she knew just how broad the kinds of them could think—they were only concerned about their looks and marriage prospect, and Gwen could not stop but wonder what kind of a life that kind of mindset would lead.

Just as Gwen stood still at the corner of the packed ballroom, one young man approached her and bowed politely. "How about one dance, mademoiselle?"

Gwen gasped in surprise, and covered her mouth with her hand. The young man glanced at the gleaming sapphire on her finger and shifted his position awkwardly. "I'm sorry if my offer makes you feel… uncomfortable."

Before Gwen could answer, the young man excused himself and talked to the other ladies.

_What had just happened?_ Gwen asked herself, but finally decided to shrug it off for the better.

As Gwen walked across the ballroom, in hopes of finding the hostess to thank her for the invitation, Gwen noticed that some men looked at her with curious looks. What she failed to notice, however, was that all those men saw the gleaming sapphire ring around her finger. In the end, Gwen decided to go back once she managed to find the hostess and had a small friendly chat ("Oh! You are so polite! Why don't we talk for a bit over some tea, cherie?")

_Party is really exhausting. Wonder why some people love it…_

When she reached her farmhouse, she noticed that the lights were already out. Gwen walked inside the house and lighted a lantern before she changed back into her home clothes. Then, she heard the knockings.

Gwen quickly walked to the front door and opened it, and much to her surprise, she saw her sister stood at the other side of the door. "Reine? Why…?"

"He kicked me out." Reine said, "That damned bloody-fur-head told me he didn't need it anymore so he just kicked me out!"

"And you left?"

"Why should I stay?!"

Gwen looked carefully at her sister's face, trying to discern her. Her rage was apparent, of course, but there was something else lying beneath that fury. "Reine…" Gwen trailed off, unsure as to how to phrase her words, "Are you scared?"

"Scared? I'm not scared of him!"

"I didn't mean him." Gwen said, "Are you scared… of what might happen between the two of you if you stay… that's why you left?"

Reine gasped. "How could you—"

"Are you?" Gwen pressed insistently.

For the first time, Reine was speechless. She hung her head low. "How could I know… if he doesn't want to talk to me about it?"

* * *

"You drove her out?!" Allen asked, not bothering to hide his annoyance. "Are you a madman?"

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Listen—what more do you want from her? She _is_ that dream girl of yours, right?!"

"Exactly!" Neil roared back, "It's exactly because she is that girl I have to let go. What if she learns that this whole castle was cursed because I wanted to give her, not the Witch, that rose?!"

Neil panted heavily, unable to hold his emotions back anymore. "She might stay—no, I'm sure she will stay, but only because she feels guilty."

Neil sighed and turned his back on his cousin, facing the tall glass window that gave him the view of the cursed forest. He casted his glance into the far distance at the direction of the farming town of Lindell. "She ought to be free… as free as she wanted to be."

* * *

_Neil's unexpected move of letting Reine go,_

_and Reine uncharacteristic fear mixed with confusion over his silence..._

_Stay tuned for the next update!_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review!_


	18. A Trapped Butterfly

_hey guys, thanks for the support and the reviews! I hope you guys are enjoying this story ^^_

_just a head-up, my next plan on the Disney series would most likely be a rendition/sequel on The Little Mermaid! So... yeah, keep a look out for that! ^^_

* * *

Reine quickly settled back into the provincial life that she had previously left—not that she had left for long, anyway. However, since it was winter, there was not so much farm-related heavy work to do, so Reine spent most of her time hunting or fishing for quick cash—the latter of which was what she was doing right now.

Reine stood at the pier of the shallow river and aimed at a group of small fishes, pinning on the largest one. She took a deep breath and shot the arrow, and once it pierced through the fish, Reine immediately picked the arrow, took the fish and threw it to the basket, where she had gathered all the previously shot fishes as well.

She could use the same arrow for around three shots, so it wasn't particularly arrow-consuming as well. However, Reine noticed that the basket was almost full and it was almost sunrise.

_Must go to the fishmonger now before others._

Reine quickly gathered her stuff and headed to the market. Luckily, she arrived when the fishmonger was about to set up his stall. "Bonjour!" Reine greeted, waving her hand as she jogged towards his stall. Reine put her basket down, and the fishmonger was delighted, "So many catch!"

"Yeah, caught them just now." Reine replied, "Spare me some and you can have the rest."

The fishmonger happily agreed to the bargain and handed Reine some of the fish together with a bag of money. "Haven' seen ya for awhile—workin' hard, eh?"

Not expecting the question, Reine only managed to laugh awkwardly.

"Missus, ya know, yer quite good-lookin'—just put down yer bow I'm pretty sure yer man will provide yer sister and mamma!"

Reine dismissed the thought instantly, "Why relies on other while I can do it myself still?"

"How about the Zach fella'? Word been goin' round, ya know!"

Reine rolled her eyes, "Thanks for the deal, mister!" she quickly said, packing her stuff. "I'll deliver the next catch to you after I go fishing again!"

The fishmonger laughed heartily. "Thank you!"

Speaking of the devil, just as Reine walked away from the fishmonger, the towering figure of Zacharie LaRue blocked her way. "Hey, the road is wide enough even for the two of us not blocking each other," Reine retorted. "Move."

"Oh, Reine dear, is that your way to greet your lover in this cold winter?"

Reine glared at him. "I said: _move_."

Zach noticed the silvery bow on Reine's back. With a quick movement, he snatched the bow from her and raised it up so it was out of her reach, "HEY! Give that back you sonova—"

"How many times do I need to tell you?! Just give up on archery!"

Zach proceeded to smash the bow to his raised leg, but the bow didn't break—it didn't even crack, since it was made of steel. Meanwhile, Zack yelped in pain and curled himself in the snow, a sight that made Reine laughing out loud at the middle of the market and now the sight of Zach whimpering in pain was the highlight of the market. Everyone stopped to stare at the spectacle.

Reine picked her bow up and said, "Well, at least you could entertain me with your pitifulness." She said mockingly. "This should teach you a lesson—do not break my bow. Ever."

Reine walked back home with a light hum coming out from her mouth. It was really entertaining—she knew the sight of Zach whimpering in pain would be the talk of the town at least for three days until a new, more juicy gossip could be found. She had this bow to thank for, but she was immediately reminded of Neil.

_No. He may gave me the bow, but he drove me away. No. I don't need him—I don't him to survive after all—I CAN SURVIVE FINE WITHOUT THAT FURHEAD!_

Her rage boiled once she thought of Neil and her light steps turned into deep stomps into the snow. How could he simply tell her that she was 'not needed'? How heartless could he be?

And why was she so affected by it?

Finally she reached her house, and she walked in to find Mme Rousseau and Gwen already sitting around the small dining table. "Morning," Reine greeted. Both women turned at her and smiled, "Morning," they replied almost in sync.

"Mamma," Reine said, "The air is cold—are you sure you don't want to stay in the room?"

"Oh, I'm fine, dearest… come here," she gestured to Reine who immediately came over. Mme Rousseau handed her new hunting glove with the initial 'R' embroidered in red and golden thread on the black leather.

"This…"

"Look at your current glove. It can fall off any time soon."

Reine smiled, "Thanks, Mamma."

"And it matches your new bow." Mme Rousseau remarked lightly, "Silver and black makes a good pair—in any case, who gave you that bow?"

Reine felt her heart stopped for a moment when she heard the question. "…someone I… happen to know and have a bow to spare."

Mme Rousseau sighed heavily. "Well, this certain someone seems to appreciate you for being you. That's something, my dear."

"I'm not so sure about that." Reine replied coldly. She had heard from Gwen that Mme Rousseau took her long absence from home as a hunting trip, so Reine made it a point not to mention anything about the enchanted castle. Besides, she didn't want to think about Neil… not _again_.

"…A difficult person?"

Reine paused for a while, resolving not to tell her mother anything more, but in the end she gave up under the warm green gaze that seemed to melt her defences. "He defines 'difficult'."

Mme Rousseau smiled, "Well, even something difficult will get easier over time. Just whether you want to put in the effort or not." She said, "And you, my dear, always puts in the deserved effort in anything you do… why the difference this time?"

Mme Rousseau stood up and walked over to the kitchen counter when she suddenly stooped down and clenched her chest, her face contorted in pain.

"Mamma!" Gwen and Reine cried out together, running over to their mother.

Mme Rousseau held on tightly to whatever she could reach, but the pain in her chest was so suffocating, so possessive of her that she couldn't even take a short breath.

* * *

Zach nursed his beer absent-mindedly with no excitement whatsoever on his face. The scene of him whimpering was so shameful—the great Zach, humiliated by a mere bow!

"Zach! Zach!"

"What is it, Won?" Zach said in a disinterested tone.

Won whispered something in his ear and Zach's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah!"

Zach paused for a moment, "I have to go the… oh, wait."

"Hm?"

"Follow me." Zach said suddenly, a satisfied grin appeared on his face. "I'm a genius."

Zach walked towards the town's prison and went directly to the warden's office. Before any word was spoken, Zach threw a heavy bag on the table, shocking the warden. "What is this?"

"Just open it,"

The warden, Monsieur D'Arque was an old man, but still with a strong physique for his age, and his face hardened by the interactions with criminals, or innocents who thought to be criminals, for the entirety of his adult life that one might ask whether this certain man managed to keep his supposedly noble heart from the corruption of darkness of those criminals. He moved to open the bag as asked, and his eyes widened when he saw the amount of gold coins inside.

Zach moved closer and whispered something in his ear. The old monsieur seemed to be listening intently, and suddenly he broke into a fitful laughter. "I see! You are _evil_, Monsieur LaRue—but haven't I been working with evil?"

* * *

The funeral was a small one, since Mme Rousseau was not really a sociable person. Only a few people came, mostly those who knew the late Monsieur Rousseau. They came and expressed their condolences to the two daughters, standing on each side of the newly put headstone bearing Mme Rousseau's name and brief legacy.

She stopped breathing just a moment before they reached the clinic, and the physician was unable to revive her. The physician told them that this winter was too cold, too harsh for her weak body—especially considering that she had just recovered. Her death was not entirely surprising, but still sudden enough to shock Reine and Gwen.

They walked back in silence, neither of them knowing what to say. However, they came to an abrupt stop when they noticed that there were several men standing in front of their house. From their attire, Gwen and Reine knew immediately that they were constables, plus Zach and Won.

"How could we help you?" Gwen asked, "If anything—"

"Mademoiselle Renaissance Rousseau." Monsieur D'Arque, who stood at the middle of the line formed by these men, "You are to be put under custody as the primary suspect of the premeditated murder of Madame Lillia Rousseau."

"WHAT?!" Reine raised her voice in a mixture of anger and shock. "Listen, gentlemen—"

However, the constables moved to restrain her, as if they were deaf and unable to listen to anything else but the instruction passed down by the old man. "How could I murder my own mother?!" Reine asked in anger.

Gwen tried to stop the constables, but she was easily dismissed and one of the men hit her on the ground, "Stay put or we can bring you in for obstruction of justice!"

Seeing that scene, Reine broke into a fit of rage and sent her leg flying to the men who had hit Gwen, "Don't you dare hurt her!" she yelled.

Her aggression prompted the constables to restrain her even more forcefully, pressing her to the ground—now acting as if she was a madwoman. "Reine!" Gwen cried out, immediately sprung on her feet and tried to grab her sister again. However, this time Zach stopped her. "Let me,"

Zach walked towards Reine, who had been pulled so that she was in kneeling position with her hands behind her back. "I know you didn't do it, Reine," he whispered. "I can help you prove it…"

"…only if you agree to be my wife."

Reine immediately spat on his face. "Not even in your dying dreams!" she roared.

"What the—"

The constables pulled Reine up as they stood up, and they led her away. Gwen turned to Monsieur D'Arque, "It's impossible! My sister won't ever do that!" she pleaded furiously.

"Everything will be covered in investigation, mademoiselle," the old man said in a feigned sympathy. "I assure you, justice will be held."

* * *

They threw Reine in a small, dark cell near the corner of the jail with only a small gap for air ventilation near the ceiling—and that, too, became the meagre source of light in her small cell. She saw an intricate weaving of cobweb reigning at the corner of the ceiling before she heard the sound of the metal door being closed.

Not knowing what to do, Reine watched the cobweb, wondering where the master of this nature's form of art had hid itself. A moment later, a butterfly wandered into the cell. Even in this minimal light, Reine could see the bright, purplish, almost pink-coloured wings fluttering about. As expected, it was tangled in the cobweb that blocked the way and unable to break free, no matter how desperately it tried to.

Soon, a black spider crawled out and approached the butterfly, and Reine couldn't move her eyes even as the spider mercilessly torn the wings off the butterfly, messing with it for a moment by tearing it limbs off before finally delivering the coup de grâce by eating its head.

After that meal was finished, the spider moved away into the darkness again, and Reine's eyes followed solemnly as some shredded remains of the butterfly wings dropped to the cell's floor.

Reine took the biggest piece and finally she saw.

Apparently, the butterfly's wings were pink.

* * *

_By a 'misunderstanding', Reine was accused of murdering her own mother!_

_How will she prove her innocence?_

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review! ^^_


	19. Marching On

_hey guys, thanks for the review and to teamBLAZE, thanks for pointing the typos out. I have corrected them, I hope I didn't miss out any! ^^_

* * *

Reine sat across Monsieur D'Arque who personally conducted her interrogation, together with two other interrogators. Her wrists were shackled together, so were her heels, but she stood with a straight back, proudly, and glared at her interrogator with intense eyes that was undeniably impressive, considering the weight of the crime she was accused of committing.

"We have a strong proof that you killed your own mother."

"For what purpose?"

"That's the point of this interrogation, mademoiselle, to ask you why."

"I didn't kill her." Reine stated flatly. "But if you do have the proof, let me see it."

"It's a confidential material."

"Really?" Reine asked sceptically, "You have to present them in the court, anyway, so sooner or later I will get to see it—why can't it be now?"

Monsieur D'Arque, still thoroughly convinced that Reine was a completely 'brawn' girl, leaned forward. "But of course, mademoiselle, if there is a reliable account of your alibi, I will release you promptly."

Reine caught the words for what they actually meant and immediately asked back. "How much did Zach pay you?" she quipped, "I know Justice should be blindfolded, but it's rather sad she was too blind to see the kind of rotten extension of hand she has."

Her words struck the three men like lightning in a broad daylight. Consumer with rage, Monsieur D'Arque slammed the wooden table with his hands, in vain hope of scaring the young woman. Had he known her better, he wouldn't have done that because it only caused her to smile, convinced that she had arrived at the truth.

"Bring her to the dungeon!" Monsieur D'Arque yelled impatiently.

The two men rose and dragged Reine to a deeper dungeon, where there was a wooden board with shackles at its four corners. They pushed her down and restrained her using the four shackles, so now Reine was facing up the dark ceiling.

Reine's greatest fear would be that they would rape her, but she guessed it would be unlikely if this was indeed Zach's machination. The man was a jerk, but she was sure as hell he wanted a virgin as a bride.

Her deductions were proven to be true when, instead of stripping her, they put a cloth over her mouth. For a moment, Reine wondered what was going on. However, she quickly got the answer when suddenly a bucket of ice water was poured over her mouth, while the cloth being tightened around her.

It felt like being choked, and being in winter, the coldness of the water gave rise to stabbing pain onto her skin. Reine coughed violently when it was over, and since her neck wasn't restrained she could turn her head to face the old man, who was now grinning widely. "How does that feel, mademoiselle? I hope it clears up your mind."

"Sure it does." Reine replied, "Makes me even surer that you were paid."

"You know the gravity of your crime, mademoiselle." Monsieur D'Arque said, ignoring her remark. "It is punishable by death."

"Marrying someone like Zach is death-in-life. If I died, I wanted it to be real." Reine retorted. "You can totally tell him that."

Upon hearing her words, Monsieur D'Arque gave signs to the torturer who forced her neck to turn so that she faced the ceiling again, and they repeated the water torture upon her. The feeling worsened as more and more water was poured onto her, and it was getting colder and colder as well. She could even feel the chill attacking her bones now—and the fact that she hadn't eaten at all didn't really help.

However, Reine refused to budge, so obstinately that even Monsieur D'Arque was left speechless. He knew he couldn't impose a more severe torture than this, for it could backfire at him if words were to get out, but at this rate, they wouldn't achieve their goals.

After the tenth round, and with Reine not seemingly to give up despite her much paled face, Monsieur D'Arque gave signs to the torturers to release her and put her back into her cell, for he knew he couldn't push his boundaries any further.

They left her alone in her cell and Reine immediately wrapped herself up with her equally cold arms. She didn't even get to change her black dress, but that was the least of her concerns for now. Reine coughed violently several times, each coughing up the excess cold water in her throat. She shivered under the cold torture in this harsh winter, and Reine tried her best to breathe out warm air to her skin.

It was then she saw a shadow standing in front of her cell. Reine raised her head and found, to her surprise, Gwen standing before her. The door was opened and Gwen walked in. "What are you doing here?!" Reine immediately asked.

"They allowed me to see you only just now." Gwen replied, "I presume they wanted me to… talk to you to 'confess'," she made the quotation mark in the air.

"They didn't do anything to you, right?"

Gwen shook her head, but then her eyes were unable to move away from her sister. Despite the minimal light, Reine could see Gwen's watery green eyes. "Don't cry." She warned, "Just keep your peace… I… I'll figure something out."

"But… but…"

"I'm fine, Gwen." Reine assured her in vain. "Just… don't get into danger whatsoever for now. And ignore Zach and his bullshits."

* * *

It was a busy day in the market when slowly the word being passed around that Reine's disappearance was due to her visiting a certain cursed castle in the forest, and whoever told the tale was sure that she had gone to the castle to procure the poison needed to kill her poor mother in exchange for her own body and purity—and that the master of the castle, to whom Reine had surrendered herself, was not even human. A wolf-like beast, the source had said. By sunset, it was so widely spread that no one knew who had started the story. It seemed to be unbelievable, but anything regarding Reine was hardly believable for the provincials, anyway.

The news was so disturbing that the townspeople gathered themselves in the tavern with Zach as their self-appointed, but quickly accepted leader. Of course Zach knew the poison part was most probably a fabrication, but the stories of a castle inhabited by a beast was indeed well-known among hunters; he even knew the location of the castle, and saw the talles tower of that building from the distance. He was sure that Reine would have known the story as well, for as much as he didn't want to admit it, Reine was one of the seasoned hunters in the town. What if she really did, for whatever unthinkable reasons, yield herself to that sub-human being? The thought disgusted and humiliated the vain man. He stood at one of the wooden table and punched into the empty air, "We have to exterminate this beast!" he called out, rousing the spirit of the angered mob who shouted back a loud, "YES!"

"For our town! For our people!" Zach rallied.

"For our town! For our people!"

* * *

Another visitor came to Reine's cell, but this time, the visitor was a stranger to Reine's eyes—at least in this form. This woman was dressed in an all-black dress, her hair silver but her eyes were sharp golden.

Her silver hair glistened eerily under the fire that lit the hallway. "Who are you?" Reine asked.

The woman let out a sharp laugh, "Oh, stupid huntress, do you recognize my voice?"

Reine paused for a moment before she gasped, "Vivi? Does this mean the curse is—"

"Broken? Of course not, you foolish girl!" The Witch Princess laughed again, "_I_ was the one placing the curse on that castle and that wretched prince because he was so stubborn—refusing to give me that damned rose! Now, that very same rose is ticking his time off!"

Reine sprung to her feet and marched towards the Witch Princess, "You meant _you_ caused all that?!"

"Oh, no, _you_ caused that!"

Reine was thrown back by surprise, but the witch immediately followed with an explanation.

"You know why that night he refused adamantly to let the only blooming red rose in the garden? Because he wanted to give it to a girl he was lovestruck at… and guess who's that lucky girl—you! Congrats!"

Hearing that, Reine shoved her arms through the gap between the bars and gripped Witch Princess' dress collar. "It was just a damn bloody rose, you bitch!"

"You don't understand the meaning of a rose, do you, unrefined archeress?" she snorted, "Of course, your level of refinement is far below that."

"You—!"

"If I were you, I wouldn't do this." Witch Princess threatened, "but, this sight of you shivering and cold and accused of a crime you never committed—no matter how disgustingly lovely—is not why I came."

If only there weren't any bars between them, Reine knew for sure that she would really sent this witch in front of her flying without a broom.

"I managed to spread some words here and there, adding a little bit of salt, of course… and now they're heading to the castle you have left with torches and swords,"

"WHAT?!"

"He was born as a prince, sure, but he will die like a filthy dog. A beast that had ravished an untamed woman." Witch Princess laughed in a shrilly voice, "I can't imagine the look on his face when he finally died. Maybe they will burn him on the forest—maybe you can smell his ashes later!"

Witch Princess left in a snap, leaving nothing but the echo of her shrill laugh that haunted Reine even long after that. The much-weakened huntress dropped to her knees.

_Neil… dead? Burned…?_

Before she could register anything else, she already broke into a hysteric cry and tears. Those thoughts suffocated her even more than the icy cold water earlier.

Reine's cry was heard to the guards standing at the front door of the jail.

"She is definitely going crazy," one of them remarked.

"Mother-killer." The other rejoined. "Never a sane one at that."

"Good evening, gentlemen," a soft voice suddenly greeted them.

The two guards looked up and they saw the second daughter of the Rousseau family stood before them with a basket in her hand. "Oh, mademoiselle, visiting hour is—"

"Oh, no," Gwen quickly interjected as she pulled the cloth away from the basket, revealing several loaves of freshly baked bread. "I thought you might be hungry, so…"

The two guards felt their mouth watering at the inviting smell of the bread. They hadn't had their dinner, indeed, and without further ado they helped themselves to the bread, and enjoying it with the beautiful sight of Gwen's smile.

They hadn't even finished half of their bread when they felt a sudden attack of drowsiness. Unable to hold themselves back, the two guards excused themselves unsuspectingly to Gwen and retreated inward to catch some sleep after hurryingly finishing their bread in front of the maiden.

Unknowingly for them, Gwen had followed them in, and once they were deep in their sleep (mixing some thoroughly grinded valerian roots to the dough really helped), Gwen snatched the keys from them and ran to Reine's cell.

Reine looked up in shock and horror when Gwen appeared again in front of her, this time with keys in her hand. Gwen pushed the door open and burst in, pulling her sister, "Get a grip on yourself!" she said, "They are marching to the castle as we speak!"

"I… I…"

"Thor is waiting near the forest, with your bow and quiver. The guards are asleep." Gwen assured her, "We have to go now, Reine!"

Gwen's words have a renewed sense of hope in Reine. Reine took a deep breath and composed herself, "You're right," she said. "Let's go."

* * *

_Gwen manages to break Reine free from the prison!_

_With a renewed hope, the sisters dashed to the castle's rescue!_

_What will happen next?_

_Stay tuned to find out!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review!_


	20. The Four Thoughts

_Chris Shino: I'm not sure whether an 'avalanche' is the kind of effect I was aiming for, but the last chapter was indeed meant to be a barrage of events because I was trying my hand in using the method of unreliable narration. In this case, since the narrator is following Reine and reflecting her thoughts, the seemingly snowstorm of events (using your metaphorical snow imagery) appears because Reine is experiencing a lapse of memory, which will be addressed in this chapter. Chapter 19 and 20 is meant to be a back-to-back chapter (I mean, chapter 20 will straighten out the events in chapter 19, told from a more reliable narrator as Reine is regaining her composure). However, since you find it to be unenjoyable, maybe I shouldn't use this method ever again. Sorry about this, maybe I should have posted the two chapters simultaneously to counter the avalanche in Chapter 19._

_As for Zach, no, he doesn't know anything of what happened in the prison (which will be discussed further in this chapter as well). In the Disney's version, it is implied that Monsieur D'Arque (a mental asylum owner in that version) is a sadist, so I try to apply that characteristic to his counterpart here. To keep Zach in dark while getting his own amusement is the primary reason why waterboarding is used as the torture method (thanks for this term, I was looking for the word in my head in vain) since it doesn't leave any physical marks on the victim._

_The original La Belle et la B__ête_ is not really rosy as well, with the sisters wishing Beast to get angry at Belle (even eating her alive) by holding her back. Let's just say I'm trying to balance the lightness of Disney with the darker tone taken by the orginal counterpart ^^"

_Again, I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy the last chapter and I really hope this chapter, slow-paced for obvious reasons, will somehow pull you out from the snow burial the last chapter left you in. :(_

_And thanks for the reminder! I will be conscious of that! ^^_

* * *

Gwen insisted that she should be the one holding onto Thor's reins. Reine, not having enough energy as well as willingness to argue, allowed Gwen to do as she wished. Besides, they didn't have the luxury of time.

They set off, and the rhythmic, regular beating of the hooves seemed to help Reine to adjust her own frantic heartbeat. Reaching her mental equilibrium once more, Reine began to set things back into a better perspective. And it all began with: time.

How long had she been incarcerated? Only now she realized she didn't really keep track of time. She remembered the dead butterfly, the water torture, Gwen's visit, and the witch, but other than that, there seemed to be a dark void in her head, eating away the rest of her memories. She didn't even remember what was the last thing she ate—or when was the last time she ate, after all.

Subconsciously, Reine took the silver bow on her back and brought it to her chest, pressing it hard against her own skin as if trying to recall the feel of holding it close. The bow was cold in her hand, but ignited a kind of warmth in her chest.

When she left the castle, she abhorred the thought of ever coming back. Granted, she had tried twice to leave. However, now she realized, the thought of coming back to the enchanted castle was actually… heart-warming.

* * *

Gwen rode with her mouth shut, but her mind switching furiously between the castle under siege and her shaken sister. The only visible change in Reine was that she seemed to be slightly thinner and much paler, but one look and Gwen knew something was destroyed inside her sister. During the two weeks Reine had been away, Gwen had locked the door and retreated from the society; not so much because of the knowledge that people would stare and whisper and judge, but more because she was concocting a plan to free her sister—which culminated in valerian-seasoned dough, although she had to accelerate the execution once she learned about the angry mob.

If there had been more time, Gwen knew she would totally exact her revenge on the old Monsieur D'Arque. She was almost sure beyond unreasonable doubt that the torture, psychological or physical, was entirely his idea. Gwen knew for all the despicable attitude Zach had, the man had adored Reine sincerely; Gwen even thought of telling him of what the old man had done to his desired betrothed and was rather assured that Zach would really do something about it (most probably including beating the wrinkled sadistic old man, but she didn't care), but she finally refrained from doing that mainly because of two reasons: she knew Reine wouldn't want to feel indebted to anyone, particularly him, as well as the lingering small possibility, however unlikely, that Zach knew and let it be.

Gwen had wanted the plan to be perfect—with every factor accounted for. She had even prepared everything they would need to move out from the town, for there was nothing left here for them. The thought of leaving the farm they grew up in was heart-breaking, yes, but Gwen would rather do that than watching her sister being mistreated for trying to look out her own family. She had no choice—they had no choice. Yet, there were so many other things that had weighed her mind that she didn't realize the time passage.

Looking at Reine now, Gwen regretted she had taken a long time to plan this. She should have acted sooner, much sooner than this.

* * *

It had been slightly more than a month since Reine had left the castle, and everyone in the castle tried to get on their daily lives as if nothing happened, but it was undoubtedly hard. Reine had imparted her lively spirit to the castle so deeply that her departure was almost like plucking the stamens and the pistil from a flower—leaving only the petals behind with nothing within.

Actually, last night was a full moon—and as expected, everyone returned to their human form and the castle back to its former glory. However, there was no more party or dancing or singing. There was only a bitter remembrance of a young, awkward couple; both were just starting to crawl in their journey on the unmapped territories of their hearts. They were so naïve, so awkward, yet so sincere that even Allen—arguably the most experienced gentleman in the arts of pursuing and pleasing a lady in the castle—agreed that his cousin and the archeress would make a lasting couple, no matter what people thought of them.

Allen tried to persuade Neil to go to Lindell and met up with Reine (not knowing the news and the rumours that had been spread), but Neil refused to budge. "There was nothing to be talked about between us," he had reasoned.

"You are too stubborn for your own good." Allen chided, "You will regret it when she is off marrying someone else."

"Good for her, then." Neil shrugged. "She will never have to learn the truth behind this curse."

Little did he know that, as those very words were spoken, the Witch Princess told Reine the very truth he wanted to conceal from her.

Despite appearing to be the least person affected by Reine's departure, plus being the instigator of her leaving, there was no doubt that Neil would be the most affected party in this whole incident. He spent most of his days wandering about the West Wing, never setting his foot on the eastern part of the castle nor the ballroom. At most, he might visit the range, left to be covered in snow as if that might preserve the memories he held so dearly within. In fact, the range was where Neil had been when he saw a rising smoke from the distance. He knew that the curse shrouding the area around his castle had been, more or less during daylight, lifted ever since they could return during full moon, so he wasn't really surprised if there would be some hunters wandering about this area.

However, the smoke move towards the castle, slowly but surely, and Neil's sharpened hearing allowed him to discern that there weren't only one, two or even five people. At least, fifteen—clearly not the kind of hunting party he had imagined before.

Could it be that Reine told the story of a beast in the forest to her townspeople? Maybe not. He felt no resentment towards her even if that was really the case, since she had every right in the world to do so.

_In any case…_

Neil left the range and looked for the head of guards who was transformed as one of the armours. "There might be some unwanted visitors coming soon."

The armour bowed down respectfully. "Understood, Master."

"Don't let anyone in this castle to be broken. That should be your first priority."

* * *

There hadn't been any word from Monsieur D'Arque ever since Reine was taken in. The old man had promised him to persuade the young lady to do as he bade her, and when the joyous occurrence happened, he would be notified post-haste, but there was nothing whatsoever. He thought maybe Reine needed some space alone, out from the influence of her younger sister. True, the way he achieved it might not be the noblest, but desperate times called for desperate measures, did they not?

Zach had hoped that the dark, dingy cell would help Reine to regain her senses as a woman—who was supposed to listen and be agreeable and be trusting towards her man. He waited for a day where Reine would agree to it with bated breaths like a boy waiting for a new toy for Christmas.

He had no idea that he had gotten way more than he had wished. His careless wish-making had paid off in the most unpleasant way, and the ignorant man knew nothing about it for he, in all of his narrow-mindedness, had misjudged and undervalued the old man's taking pleasure in other's sufferings—much like how he had misjudged Reine's dream to be that of a simple homemaker.

However, Zach thought nothing of that at this moment. He thought of the enchanted castle, wondering what kind of a sub-human Reine had fallen for—how could she descend into such shameful fall: what magic, what enchantment, what spells, what gizmos… what did this beast has but he did not?

Maybe defeating this beast would prove to Reine that he was the better man, and Zach thought maybe by defeating what Reine couldn't defeat herself, he might prove to her that he was stronger and was worthy of taming her.

With that kind of misguided motivation, he marched and paved the way to the castle, not knowing what lied before and behind him at all.

* * *

_The mob is reaching to the castle..._

_and a clash seems to be inevitable._

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review! ^^_


	21. Bow And Arrow

_Chris Shino: oh, I see... yeah, I think next time simultaneous update will be the way! I do agree that Zach is a bit cuckoo, but hey, I don't have always to agree on what my characters are doing, right? By the way, as for your questions, the answers would be here most of them, implied or explicit... and I leave some others to your own imagination, because I think the wonder of fairy tales is the loose ends of some of the subplots that allows you to make up your own version of their ending. ^^ of course I would tell you my version as author's note if you really are curious._

_teamBLAZE: thanks! I also learn from many others, including you with your feedback!_

_ScipioPB: just a head-up, I don't write very good action scenes... and besides, I want to focus on something else during the battle instead of the actual hack-and-slash ^^ I hope it will still be enjoyable, though ^^_

* * *

When the mob reached the castle just after sunset, they saw every entry point was blocked by two armours each, with the lances crossing each other to prevent anybody from passing.

Zach tried to move one of the armours aside, but he yelped in surprise when he saw a pair of small glowing orbs from the tiny space where the eyes were supposed to be.

"No one shall pass." The armour growled in deep voice.

Although he was admittedly afraid, Zach tried to keep himself together as he rallied, "Don't be deterred!"

The mob crashed into the line of armours and they descended into a loud brawl. The noise was heard throughout the castle complex, and amidst the chaos, Zach managed to slip through the defences alongside with Won and several other townsfolk. However, the moment they stepped into the castle, they were greeted in a literally warm—maybe too warm—hospitality of Jessica who poured a bucket full of freshly-brewed tea. And in her discretion, she decided to use rotten tea leaves, latching the unpleasant smell onto the assaulters' skin. In addition, Rod had scattered banana skin all over the floor, so the they ended up slipping over each other while trying to avoid the boiling _teafall_.

Zach shielded himself and trudged forward, determining to find the master of this castle at all cost. He needed to look so hard, however, since Neil decided to meet this man himself.

"You come to look at the Beast, do you not?"

Neil's voice echoed throughout the castle, and the deep growl in his voice managed to stun most of the townsfolk who were there to bear the sight of this rumoured beast.

Zach quickly took his dagger and pointed it at the Beast, "Are you the beast who had wronged Reine?!"

_Wronged?_ Neil wondered briefly, _What kind of rumours going on there?_

Nevertheless, he maintained his cold exterior and decided not to say anything to the man. As expected, his silence fuelled Zach's fury even further and he lunged at the beast, who managed to narrowly dodge his attack.

"Or do you happen to fall in love with her?" Zach asked while circling Neil, before breaking into an unrestrained, almost uncivilized laugh. "Look at you! Who could ever learn to love a beast like you?!"

When Reine was around, Neil had consciously put up the effort to resist the feral instincts that began to take over his human conscience—which was his primary reason of avoiding the girl during her early days of being in the castle. It was hard to resist, but her stay in the castle was long enough for Neil to regain control over his animal instinct.

However, Zach's words had somehow broken the chains that kept the very same fearsome feral instinct at bay. Besides, his earlier attack had prompted Neil's survival instinct to take over his better judgement. Without Reine, without anything that restrained him, Neil went down on all four and charged at Zach.

Zach, not expecting such retaliation, was overwhelmed by the sudden attack. Neil pinned him down on the floor, baring his fangs right in front of his face.

Six months before Reine came along, Neil started to hunt for wolves as his food—stopping only when he learned that Jessica was crying over him at night (he had always thought of her like his own mother). He could feel it now: that very same predatory desire—it started to rise again in him.

Neil let out a subconscious low growl as he quickly descended back into what others believed him to be: a beast. Only then a voice was heard inside his head:

_Aren't you always one?_

He really believed it then, because in her eyes, he saw the reflection of his human self that she saw in him. But she was no longer here, and the reflection that he saw in Zach's fear-filled eyes was… a beast.

_…yeah, you got cursed and everything. It changed your outward appearance, but I'm sure what's inside of you stays._

She believed in him, he knew she did. Armed with that belief, Neil regained his control over his feral instinct and stepped back from Zach. "I have nothing to do with her. Leave my castle, now." He said, turning back on Zach.

Little did he know that the first thing Zach did after being spared was to reach for his dagger again, and raised it to the air, his eyes filled with ungrateful lust for blood.

* * *

Reine and Gwen found a chaotic mess when they finally reached the castle. Injured people were intermingled pieces of armours that moved on their own, trying to reassemble themselves (if Gwen hadn't known better, she might have had a heart attack).

Thanks to the chaos, however, they managed to slip in without any hitch, leaving Thor at the courtyard. They saw more bruised people groaning on the floor and scattered banana peelings everywhere, but when they looked up, Reine saw Zach was about to stab Neil who was looking away.

Before she knew what she was really doing, Reine took her own bow and an arrow, shooting at the blade and knocking it away from Zach's hand. The sound of the metal clashing against each other shocked both men, and they turned to her, now with her bow loaded with a new arrow aimed at Zach. Reine took careful steps towards them, avoiding any banana peels or other what-nots on the floor, but with her eyes fixed on her target.

"Re—Reine, listen!" Zach stuttered, "Do you really want to shoot me instead of him? A human instead of beast?!"

"You… you believed I could kill my own mother!" Reine yelled. "What makes you can't believe I could kill you now?"

By now, Reine was standing at the end of the grand stairs, and she drew the bow a little bit further to the back, ready to shoot anytime. Neil saw the look on her eyes, and quickly rushed towards her and tackled her down. The arrow was accidentally released, barely missing Zach who fell onto his knees afterwards.

"What nonsense." Neil scowled. "You? Killing your mother? You almost cried when you bull's-eyed the deer that time."

Reine looked up to the wine-coloured eyes she had unknowingly missed all this time. "How…? How could you…?" she stammered in her confusion, "It was… ten years ago."

Her words proved his suspicion—Reine remembered him from their brief meeting ten years ago. Neil bent down and nuzzled her lower jaw gently. "You said it yourself… what inside of us remains no matter how drastically our appearance had changed."

Suddenly, Neil cried out a painful howl, and he fell aside, revealing Zach with a bloody blade in his hand. "You are mine, Reine," he hissed, "I have been patient enough. I will teach you how to acknowledge that."

Zach gripped her hand but Reine pulled it back. Zach never anticipated the amount of strength in Reine, much like how he never anticipated anything else he deemed as 'unthinkable', so he was swayed over to the side where he accidentally slipped on one of the banana skin on the floor and fell down, his neck hitting one of the stair steps before he rolled to the lower floor, unmoved.

Reine ran over to Neil and put her hand before his wound and she saw the blood on her hand. Reine sprung to her feet. "Oh, no, no, no—I'll go get some—" she was halted when Neil held her wrist gently, for his strength was receding. His breathing was heavy, "…stay."

"No, no, no," Reine choked on her own words, as tears began swelling up in her eyes. "You can't do this to me… not again."

Despite her pleadings, Neil persisted in holding her hand, not allowing her to go. Reine fell to her knees, "I can't lose another of my dream, Neil…" she murmured, "Not again…"

With her tears-blurred vision, she saw Neil's eyes slowly closed and he let out a long, heavy breath. And only then, his hand did let go of hers, but she was no longer willing to leave. Instead, she rushed to him and embraced his body, "Oh, no… no…" she wept. "Please… if goddesses do exist… please don't take him away."

"I love you, Neil… I can't lose you, too…"

Her words coincided with the first bell of midnight. Reine covered her face as she wept, and when the second bell rung, she didn't notice that the castle was shrouded with a bright glow. She didn't notice that as the bell rang for the third to the eleventh time, the people inside of the castle began to return back to their human form, and the injured were healed.

She also didn't notice that, when the bell rang for the final time, there was no more a limp body, replaced with a young man kneeling before her. He moved her hand away and uncovered her teary green eyes. "…hey."

Reine blinked several times in disbelief with what she saw. He wore a dishevelled white shirt and torn black trousers, just like how they met again near the rose garden on that full moon night, and there was no injury whatsoever on his body.

She moved her hand and touched his face. "You… you are real…"

Neil pulled her and hugged her, "I am."

Reine hugged him back, crying again although for a very different reason. "I… I was so scared!"

"Congratulations," a soft voice said, prompting both of them to turn around. The Goddess smiled at them, "You really did it, Neil."

"…Who are you?" Reine asked in confusion, for this was the first time she saw the Goddess.

"You called me earlier," the Goddess reminded her gently, "and I come at the most desperate of times."

Reine was rendered speechless by her answer. The Goddess smiled and moved closed to them, and when they were within her reach, she touched the centre of their chests and a pair of silver pendants magically appeared on both of them—one depicting a bow on Reine, and another was an arrow on Neil.

"This is…" Neil murmured.

"An arrow is strong because of the bow." The Goddess smiled, "and Reine, love may not be able to conquer everything… but trust me, a wise man said that love is the strongest magic, and he is right."

"What do you mean?"

"Look around you," she said, gesturing her hand to the now bright castle. "It was not my doing… it is your love that breaks the curse."

The Goddess then touched the bow pendant on her chest, "A bow can stand on its own, yes… but it is always empty without an arrow."

She then brought the two pendants near to each other, and they came together with a small clicking sound as the arrow was nocked to the bow's string.

"See how you complete each other now?" The Goddess asked.

* * *

Gwen looked at her sister and Neil with an unexplainable happiness in her heart. She also noticed that the townsfolk began to regain their consciousness again after being knocked out at the second bell. "They will forget everything about this!" Aaron, who was floating around her. "As well as the part about Reine being accused as a murderer! They will forget it all!"

"That's good…" Gwen sighed.

Aaron suddenly disappeared, and at the same time, Gwen felt something was put around her shoulders. A coat. Gwen looked up and saw a tall man with bright blue eyes and striking red hair. "A coat, mademoiselle," he said with a friendly smile.

"…Do I know you?"

His eyes twinkled playfully at her question, "Do you know me?" he asked back.

It was then his voice ticked something in her heart and she smiled. "You look much better than I've imagined." She admitted bashfully.

* * *

The ceremony was held at the rose garden amidst the newly blooming pink roses for it was Spring. Reine wore the same kind of dress like the one she wore during the ball, but it was white instead of golden. Neil's coat, too, was white instead of deep purple although the trimming was still golden. Reine's pink hair cascaded loosely to her waist, covered by the thin veil fastened by a small silver tiara. The bow pendant was visible around her neck, while Neil's arrow pendant was hidden beneath his shirt.

"You may kiss the bride."

Neil nervously lifted the veil over Reine's face and stared at her for a moment before he gently pulled her head towards himself and kissed her forehead, eliciting a slight giggle from his new wife.

"Boo~" Allen teased from the side, "Do it like a man, can you?"

Gwen swatted Allen's hand playfully, but she, too, was giggling.

"Shut up." Neil scowled.

"In any case, congratulations!"

Allen was the first to throw the rose petals towards the newly-wedded couple as they walked off the aisle, and the gestured was followed by the guests who were all the other castle occupants.

"Congratulations!"

"May you lead a long, happy life together!"

"I love happy endings…" Gwen sighed as she watched her sister's back walking away, hand in hand with Neil.

Hearing her words, Allen found his chance. He picked up her hand and asked, "Do you remember my promise, that I would tell you the magic in this ring when I'm human again?"

Gwen nodded, her heart thumping excitedly.

Allen bent down and whispered in her ear, "Don't you think it's magical that a girl like you is not snatched by anyone else by now?"

"Eh?"

"I would gladly take responsibility for that, however," he chuckled, "Just tell me when you're ready to walk on the aisle—I bet you'll look even more gorgeous than your sister."

* * *

The party was held at the ballroom, and just like the last time, Neil and Reine sneaked out to the balcony as their guests enjoyed themselves. Reine glanced at Neil before playfully kissed his cheek—and although it wasn't the first of that kind of 'surprise attack', Neil would always blush.

"Hey, I have something for you."

"A wedding gift?" she asked.

"You can say so." Neil took out a small box and presented it to her. Reine untied the ribbon and opened the box carefully, revealing a stalk of fully bloomed pink rose. Reine looked up and smiled. "Thank you," she said.

A butterfly flew nearby and perched for a moment on the rose, long enough for them to notice its presence before it took off and flew to the rose garden, joining countless other butterflies that were already feasting on the blooming roses.

Neil wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You are really the Renaissance of this castle."

Reine turned and looked at Neil, smiling shyly. "I used to be embarrassed, being named Renaissance—but I guess now it makes sense."

Neil smiled and bent down, this time kissing her on her lips. Reine cupped his face in her hands and kissed him back, and she knew that it was true.

Everything made perfect sense.

The End

* * *

_And this is the end of the first of my Disney series! I hope you guys have enjoyed the story so far! ^^_

_As I've promised to Chris Shino earlier, I'll tell you what I think happened to Zach: I think he is sent to a madhouse because he is claiming about the existence of the Beast while everyone else forgets about it (yes, he didn't forget)_

_Please drop by to the second story on the same series: How Many Wonders Can One Cavern Hold?_

_(remember what song is this? :P)_

_See you on the next story! ^^_


End file.
